Holiday On Arus
by Failte
Summary: The next story in my series. Pure fluff and fun. Complete Thank you so much for your reviews!
1. Reunited And It Feels So Good

Hi!

Yet the next chapter in my series and it's a holiday story!  I know, it's still early, but I started it and I couldn't wait to post it.  This is pure fluff and fun.  This chapter is mostly Pidge/Becca, but you will see a lot more Lance/Darcy and Keith/Allura.

I'm having fun writing it, so I hope you enjoy reading it.

Enjoy,

Failte

*******************************************

Pidge smiled down at the image before him, "So this is when we tell your parents?"

Becca nodded, "Yeah, they decided they wanted to spend Schuyler's first Christmas with her, so they're coming too."

"Well, I guess that's good.  I don't want to feel as though we're sneaking around."

"True.  And I'm sure we'll be able to ditch them a few times."

"Just a few?"  He smiled.

"Well, they are going to be there to see the baby, we can use her to distract them."

"That's pretty sneaky."

Becca smiled, "So you're getting a look at my naughty side."  
  


He raised an eyebrow, "Oh, I think I've seen that already.  As a matter of fact, I think I've seen all your sides."

He cheeks reddened a bit, "I can't believe I'll be there in a week.  I can't wait."

"Neither can I.  The castle is going to be packed."

"What do you mean?"  
  


"Well, besides you and your parents, Lance's parents and Keith's mother are all coming too."  Pidge told her.

"Wow, is that too much?"

"Nah, there is plenty of room and Allura loves having a full castle.  Besides, with grandparents all over the place, I think Keith and Allura and Lance and your sister are looking forward to free babysitting and free time."

"So there will be plenty of distractions."

"Looks that way.  How're finals?"

"Good, good.  How're things there?"

"Boring without you."

She smiled, "One more week."  
  


"One more week," he repeated.

Becca watched as he turned from the screen and spoke to someone behind him before turning back.  
  
"I have to go, Bec, Keith needs to make a call," he told her, reluctantly.  

"Okay, I'll talk to you later, Pidge."

"Good night, Becca."

"Good night, Pidge.  I love you."

He blushed at her comment, knowing Keith was behind him pretending not to listen.  "Me too."

She smiled at his embarrassment, "Good night."

"'Night."  He reached over and pressed the button that disconnected the call.

"How's Becca doing?"  Keith asked.

  
"She's doing great."

He grinned at Pidge, "You excited about next week?"

"And nervous."

"I would suggest you talk to Lance, see how he handled Mr. Barlow."

Pidge laughed, "Thanks for the advice, Cap."

"Any time, Lieutenant."  
  


***********************************************************

A week later, Pidge stood nervously beside Lance on the tarmac watching the transport ship descend.  Nerves and excitement made his heart race while the advice Lance had given him ran through his mind.  _Be respectful.  Stand up for yourself and Becca.  You know this is right and with her by your side, you'll get through this first hurdle without a problem.  I would, however, suggest that if you decide to get married, wait until after the wedding before you get her pregnant._

"Calm down, man," Lance whispered.  "You look guilty."

Pidge wiped his sweaty palms on his pants and nodded, "Sorry."

Darcy giggled, "He's not that bad."

"Sweetie," Lance wrapped his arm around her waist.  "You're father can be a very, uh…intimidating man."

"He's really just a big softy, you just rubbed him the wrong way," she corrected.

"Yeah, well, he has to like me now."

"He _has_ to?"

"Yup," Lance lifted Schuyler out of her hands.  "I gave him a beautiful granddaughter.  Right, Sky?"

She bounced in his arms and clapped her hands.

"So you're using our daughter to bribe him into accepting you?"

"Uh huh."

Pidge watched the two of them playfully argue, "Um, guys?  I think they're about to unboard."

"Are you saying I had nothing to do with our daughter?" Darcy asked, ignoring Pidge.

"Well, she does look more like me."

Darcy snorted, "Hardly.  Those eyes, the nose…all Barlow."

Lance traced his finger along the baby's face, "But the shape of her face, her hair, and her amazing personality are all Collier."

"You mean she's a self-centered troublemaker?"

"No, she's charming and sweet and intelligent.  Very Collierish."

"The intelligence all comes from the Barlow side."  A deep voice interrupted.

"Dad!"  Darcy grinned and threw her arms around her father.  "Hi!  How was your trip?"

"Long, but good," he turned and shook hands with Lance.  "Lance, how are you?"

"Fine, Sir."  

"Oh, Schuyler!"  Lucy Barlow cried, dropping her bag and reaching out for her granddaughter.

Lance smiled sheepishly when Schuyler wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his neck, "I guess she's feeling a little shy."  
  


The door behind them opened and Keith walked out, carrying Cady.  "Mr. and Mrs. Barlow, it's so nice seeing you again.  Allura had hoped to be out here to greet you, but she had to see to the babies."

"Babies?"  Lucy asked.

Keith grinned, "Yes, Ma'am.  We have four month old twin boys now, Gideon and Declan."

"Twin boys," the woman shook her head.  "I don't know how she does it, running a planet and raising three children."  
  
"She's an amazing woman," Keith's voice was full of pride. 

"Hi there, Cady," Lucy ran her finger down the little girl's arm.

  
Cady smiled shyly, "Hi."

"Where's, uh, where's Becca?"  Pidge asked, finding his voice.

Howard Barlow looked at the young man, "Um, Lieutenant…"

"Lt. Audric, sir," Pidge extended his hand.

"She should be right behind us," Lucy said.  "She was talking to the co-pilot though, a nice handsome young man."

Lance smiled when he saw Pidge stiffen.

Howard shook his head, "No.  I already lost one daughter to a pilot, not two."

Keith and Lance grinned at each other.

"Becs!"  Darcy ran over to her sister, throwing her arms around her, whispering in her ear, "He's going nuts.  Give us ten minutes and we'll have Mom and Dad distracted with our house plans."  
  


"Do I look okay?"  Becca whispered back, tugging on her blouse.

Darcy laughed quietly, "You look great, but then you could've gotten off that ship with a shaved head and dressed in rags and he would still be drooling at your feet."

"Becca," Lance pulled her into a one-armed hug.  "Great to see you again."

"You too, Lance," she hugged him back and kissed Schuyler's cheek.  "Hi there, Sky.  You've gotten so big!"

Keith moved in next and gave her a quick hug before smoothly passing her on to Pidge.  It was moments like this that Pidge loved his friends the most.  By all of them hugging her, it wouldn't seem so obvious when he hugged her.

Becca felt the flush rise to her cheeks as she faced Pidge.  Very slowly, she stepped closer and let him envelope her into a hug.  She closed her eyes as she rested her cheek on his shoulder, smelling his soap, feeling his body against hers.  A shiver ran through her as she felt him press his lips to her ear.

"I've missed you so much," he whispered.

"Darcy said to give them ten minutes," she whispered back, stepping reluctantly out of the hug.

"Come on, let's get you settled into your rooms," Keith announced.  "The guards will bring your bags up and I'm sure you want to get settled in before dinner."

"That would be lovely," Lucy said graciously.  "Come on, Darcy, I want to get reacquainted with my granddaughter."

Pidge and Becca lagged behind them, hopping they weren't being too obvious.  But her parents were distracted by the baby and Darcy's description of the house they were planning to build, so they didn't even notice that once they entered the castle, Pidge grabbed Becca's hand and pulled her into the Observation Deck.  As soon as the door shut behind them, Pidge had his arms around her and his mouth attacking hers.  Becca's hands were fisted in his hair, holding him in place while she deepened the kiss and pressed against him, trying to get closer.

After a few moments, Pidge raised his head to catch his breath.  "I couldn't wait ten minutes."

Becca chuckled, resting her forehead against his shoulder.  "I didn't think it was possible to miss someone as much as I've missed you.  It took everything in me to keep from jumping on you as soon as I got off the ship."

He ran his hands up and down her back, "I know what you mean.  We have to tell them tonight, I can't sneak around.  I want to be able to spend time with you and I don't want to have to come up with silly excuses every time."

"Let's tell my Mom first," Becca wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned against him.  "I think she can help ease him into the idea of us.  My father has been making comments lately about me concentrating on my studies and not being distracted by boys."

Pidge pulled back and looked down at her, "Are there boys distracting you?"

"Just you," she stood on her toes and kissed him.

Pidge smiled, "Well I guess that's okay."  His communicator beeped and he groaned as he unclipped it.  "Audric."

"Hey, Pidge," Darcy whispered.  "My mother is asking where Becca is, she wants to see her room."

Pidge nodded, "We'll be right there."  He snapped the communicator shut.

"Tonight, we'll talk to my mother," she whispered, running her hands up and down his arms.

"Okay," he looked at her and the longing he felt deepened until he was afraid it would completely consume him.  "I love you."

She smiled, "I love you too."  
  


"Come on, I'll show you to your room," he took her hand and led her out of the Observation Deck.

******************************************************

After dinner that night, everyone retired to the rec room.  Lucy sat on the couch beside Darcy, cradling her granddaughter.  Lance was showing his father-in-law the blueprints for the house they were going to be building.  Keith sat on the floor with Allura, their sons lying on a blanket in front of them, Cady sat beside them, leaning against her father, letting the low murmur of the adult's voices lull her.  

Becca sat beside her mother, pretending to listen to her cooing at Schuyler.  Pidge sat on the couch opposite her.  Every so often they would catch each other's eye and smile.  

"Now when are you going to start building?"  Howard asked Lance.

"We're waiting a couple of months until after the last snowfall," Lance replied.

"Four bedrooms?"

"Yes, sir.  Plenty of room for whenever you guys want to visit."

"Oh, we'll have to have a housewarming party when it's finished," Lucy added excitedly.

Darcy looked up and watched as Pidge and Becca flirted wordlessly with smiles and winks.  Her heart went out to them, knowing they wanted some time together, but was finding it hard.

"Come on," she tapped Lance on the shoulder.  "It's time for little ones to go to bed."

"It's still early," he protested.

Darcy stood, kicking his foot in the process, "No, it's been a long, busy day.  And besides, I bet Grandma would love to read Schuyler a story before bed."

"Oh, I would love to," Lucy stood, cradling the little girl.

"It is getting late," Allura stood, cradling Gideon to her breast.

"How do you manage all three children?"  Lucy asked.

"Like this," Keith held Declan to his chest and crouched beside Cady.  "Come on, Cady Bear, wanna go for a ride?"

Cady stood, clutching her blanket in one hand, and wrapped her arms around her father's neck, "Up, Daddy."

Keith stood, cradling Declan in one arm and securing Cady, piggy-back style, on his back with the other arm.

"You coming Dad?"  Darcy asked.

"I think too many people in the nursery will make it hard for Schuyler to sleep," he told her, kissing the baby gently on the forehead.  "See you in the morning, sweetie."

Darcy looked apologetically at her sister and Pidge.

Lance smiled, rolled up the floor plans and stood, "If you want to come with me, sir, you can see the plot of land from the Observation Deck.  It's a clear enough night."

"Alright," Howard turned to his youngest daughter.  "You coming, Rebecca?"

"Uh, well, I thought I'd stay up a bit.  Catch up with the guys," she replied weakly.

"Come on, Howard," his wife said.  "Let Becca catch up with her friends."

Hunk walked into the rec room just as Allura and Keith left.

Becca jumped to her feet, "Hi Hunk!  How are you?"

"Good," he smiled to everyone.

"Come on in, tell me about the wedding plans."

  
Hunk's smile grew a bit more, "Only two more months.  But Paton's mother is starting to take over."

"We were just going to put the baby down," Darcy told him.

"Oh, well, goodnight Sky."  He waved at them.

The little girl waved back.

Moments later, Pidge, Becca, and Hunk were alone in the rec room.

"How was your flight?"  Hunk asked.

"It was, uh, it was nice.  Long."  She muttered.

"Hunk," Pidge said, looking at Becca.  "Were you looking for something?"

"No, I was just…"  He stopped when realization dawned on him.  "I was just heading to the kitchen to find something to eat."

The second the door shut behind him, Becca all but leapt over the coffee table, landing on his lap.  

"That wasn't very nice," she whispered after breaking the kiss.

"What do you mean?"  He whispered back, brushing his lips along her throat.

"Hunk."  

"Oh, well, your father and Lance are on the Observation Deck and I don't think we could get to my room without your mother noticing, since it's across the hall from Lance and Darcy's room," his hands roamed over her back.  "Trust me, he doesn't mind."

"Mmm," she moaned as he fisted his hand in her hair, pulling her head back and exposing her throat.

"We didn't get to talk to your mother."

Becca sighed and ran her hands through his hair, "We're going in to town tomorrow.  I'll get her aside and talk to her then."

"I'll go with you."

She smiled down at him, "You don't have to."

"Rebecca," he framed her face his hands and forced her to look at him.  "I want to.  I want to be with you, even if we have to do it with a group of people, I want to spend as much time as I can with you."

"I love you," she whispered as her lips brushed over his.

A growl came from deep within him as he deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue between her lips.

Becca jumped back with a gasp when the doors slid open.  

They heard her mother before they saw her.  "I'll be right there, Darcy, I just want to grab my bag.  Stop being so silly."

Pidge dumped her on the couch beside him and tried to straighten his shirt while she ran a hand through her hair.

"Ma," Darcy pleaded, following her into the room with Schuyler on her hip.  "Really, you could've waited, I want to get Sky down."

"I want my camera," Lucy stopped when she saw Becca and Pidge sitting on the couch, both looking a bit flushed.  "Are you alright, Becca?"

"Uh, yeah, Ma, I'm, uh, I'm fine."  Becca muttered.

Lucy crossed the room slowly and picked up the bag she had left beside the couch, "You're looking a little flushed, dear."

  
That comment made Becca turn even redder.

  
Darcy shrugged helplessly.

  
"So, uh, Pidge is it?"  Lucy looked at him.

He looked up at her, trying hard not to blush, "Yes, Ma'am."  

"That's an unusual name."

"It's actually a nickname.  I was a rather small kid, I can't really remember when they started calling me that, but by the time I entered the Academy everyone, including the professors were calling me Pidge."  He explained.

"What's you're real name?"  
  


Becca grinned and looked away.  She knew he hated his name, it had taken a lot of pleading, tickling and other forms of torture for her to get it out of him.

Pidge mumbled something under his breath.

Lucy stepped closer, "I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that."

Pidge sighed, "Pader."

"Peter?"

"No, uh, Pader. P-A-D-E-R.  It was my grandfather's name."

"Pader Audric."

"Yes, Ma'am, but to be honest, I prefer to be called Pidge."

"Mm hm," Lucy crossed her arms over her chest.  "And you're a pilot?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"He in charge of the computer systems, Ma," Darcy interjected.  "He has an amazing ability with computers and electronics."

"The computer systems?  Wasn't there a problem with the computer systems this past summer?  When Becca got shot."

Pidge's expression changed and his eyes darkened.  
  


"Mother," Becca said warningly.

"Come on, Mom," Darcy took her arm.  "I'm putting Schuyler down now and if you want to help you will come _now._"

Lucy nodded, "Alright.  I'll see you in the morning, Becca, don't stay up too late."

"Good night, Mother."  Becca stood and followed her to the door.  "How do I lock this?"  She asked Pidge when the door closed.

"5-3-1-7."   He said hollowly.

She punched in the code and listened for the soft click before turning back to the couch, "Don't take it to heart, Pidge, she didn't mean it."

"I know."

She straddled his legs and lowered herself onto his lap, lacing her fingers together behind his neck, "It wasn't your fault.  I don't blame you and no one else does.  How sure are we that no one will walk in now?"

He looked up at her, his eyebrows raised, "Well, the panel out in the hall will say it's locked, so they should know better than to barge in."

"Have I shown you this?"  She asked mischievously as she began unbuttoning her blouse.

"Rebecca," Pidge hissed, blushing.  "You're mother was just in here."

She ignored him and unbuttoned her shirt halfway down, pulling her left arm out of its sleeve, "I wanted to show you my really cool scar."  She pointed to the wide, pink mark on her upper arm.

Pidge felt his heart sink.  She was scarred and he couldn't help but feel responsible.  He raised a shaky hand and ran his finger over it.

"Oh, stop it," she chided him quietly.  "I'm fine and I didn't show you to make you feel guilty, I'm rather proud of it."

"_Proud_?"

"Yeah, it's really cool looking, it makes me look tough and it impresses the guys."

"What guys?"

Teasingly, she slid her arm back in her blouse, "Well, when I got back to school, some friends and I went swimming and my suit doesn't quite cover the scar."

"You need a bigger suit," he mumbled, buttoning up her blouse for her, leaving the top two undone.

"Some guys saw it and asked me about it, so I told them about how I went to visit my sister who used to fly with the infamous Voltron Force," she leaned forward and nuzzled his neck.  "And I told them I was shot by an insane criminal and that really impressed them."

"Why were you trying to impress them?"  He asked, laying his head back on the couch, closing his eyes.

She kissed her way up to his ear, "But what really impressed them was when I told them I was in love with a really hot intergalactic pilot."

"So you throw around my name to showoff to guys?"

"Yup."

Pidge opened his eyes and looked at her, "What?"

"I'm not showing off or trying to impress any guys.  However, I'm having a lot of fun making the girls jealous.  I tell them about the really hot, smart man I am in love with and they all turn positively green."

"Really?"

"Yup, and when I show them your picture some of them have been reduced to tears of jealousy."

"Oh yeah?" He traced his finger along the hollow of her throat and daringly dipped it down past the open buttons of her blouse.

"Pidge, my mother knows."

"I know," he sighed, bringing his hands down to rest on her hips.  "How do you think she'll take it?"

"Well, I think she's going to want to talk to me before she talks to my father, so I think you're safe tonight."

He smiled weakly.

"You're not afraid of my father are you?"

"No."

  
"Then what is it," she ran her hand through his hair and brought it down to cup his cheek.

"I don't want to anger him or upset you."

"I'm not going to get upset."

"Well, as long as he doesn't come between us, I can handle anything he throws at me."

"He knows you and we aren't exactly in the same situation Darcy and Lance were in when he met my parents."

Pidge chuckled, remembering how mortified Lance had been when Mr. and Mrs. Barlow had almost walked in on him and Darcy at a most inopportune time.  "That's true."

"Just be yourself and he will see you for the wonderful person you are, Pader."

  
"Don't call me that," he warned.

"What?"  She asked innocently.  "It's a very…_interesting name, Pader."_

"Stop it."

"And if I don't?"

He tickled her ribs and held on to her as she struggled against him, "Don't call me that."  
  


"Pader," she gasped between fits of laughter.

  
He tickled her harder as she fell sideways laughing and he leaned over her as she gasped for breath, "Say 'uncle'."

"Never!"  She squealed getting her hands under his arms and retaliating.

Pidge squirmed above her, "Alright, alright, I'll stop if you stop."

"Okay," she giggled.

He collapsed on top of her.  They laid a moment, their arms wrapped around each other and their legs tangled together, trying to catch their breath.

"God, I've missed you," she whispered.

"I've missed you too."

"We'll talk to my parents tomorrow."

He nodded.

"You know we'll still have to sneak around a bit, my father's going to be watching us like a hawk."

Pidge lifted his head and grinned down at her, "Do you know why you got that bedroom?"  
  


Becca shook her head.  She had thought it was a weird place to put her, at the far end of the hall, four doors down and on the other side of the hall from her parents.

He leaned down and whispered, "It's the only one in that hall with a working door to the hidden passageways."

She giggled, "Does that mean you're going to visit me?"

"Only if you want me to."

"I do."

"Come on," Pidge sat up, pulling her up beside him. "We should go.  I have the early shift and there are a lot more people flying in tomorrow."

Becca sighed dramatically but let him pull her to her feet.

He took her hand and led her from the room, "I think we should take your parents out to lunch tomorrow, to the little café in town.  We'll talk to them then."  
  


"That sounds like a good plan."

"And your father is less likely to make a scene in public."

"True."

They stopped in front of her door.

"Good night, Rebecca."

"Good night…Pader."

He growled when he lowered his head to kiss her good night.


	2. Illness And Interrogation

Darcy woke early the next morning, not really sure what it was that woke her.  Something hot was pressed against her back.  She rolled over and saw the back of Lance's head.  

"Lance," she murmured, laying a hand on his arm, shocked at how warm he felt.  She brought her hand to his forehead and gasped.  "Lance, honey, wake up."

He sighed and burrowed deeper into his pillow.

She remembered how he hadn't eaten much at dinner the night before and when she commented about how pale he looked, he had waved her off, saying he was fine.  "Lance," she said more insistently, pushing on his shoulder.

He rolled over, his eyes squeezed shut, "What?  What's wrong?"  

"Honey, you're burning up," she cupped his cheeks with her hands.  "I'm going to get Dr. Gorma."

He nodded and rolled back onto his side.

The fact that he didn't argue had Darcy pushing the blankets off and rushing for the phone on the desk.  It was connected to an internal system that allowed them to call the hospital wing, Castle Control, the guards' quarters, and the kitchen.  

"Yes?" 

Darcy didn't recognize the voice of the nurse who answered the phone, "Uh, yes, this is Darcy Collier, my husband, Lt. Collier is burning up with a fever.  Is Dr. Gorma available?"

"I'll alert him.  Can the Lieutenant make it to the hospital wing?"

"I, uh," Darcy glanced over and saw Lance curled up in the fetal position, cocooned in the blankets.  "No, he can't."

"Alright, I'll tell Dr. Gorma, he'll be there as soon as possible."

"Thank you."  Darcy hung up the phone and turned to face the bed.  The clock read 6:13 am.  The castle would be walking over the next half hour.  His parents were due in this afternoon.  She sat on the edge of the bed and brushed the hair off his forehead, "Lance, honey?"

"Hm?"

"Dr. Gorma's on his way.  How do you feel?"

"Pretty crappy."

"Why didn't you say something earlier?"

He sighed and rolled onto his back, "I thought it would pass.  I can't be sick now."

"Don't worry about anything, it's just important for you to get well.  Can I get you anything?"

He shook his head and closed his eyes.

Darcy stood and turned on the light.  She stopped when she heard Schuyler crying through the baby monitor.  

"Go," Lance mumbled into his pillow.  "Leave the door open for Dr. Gorma and go take care of the baby."

She pursed her lips, torn.

"Go Darcy."

"Okay, let me know if you need anything."  She glanced at him once more before entering the nursery.

*******************************************

Darcy had just finished buttoning up Schuyler's overalls when Dr. Gorma knocked on the door to the nursery.

"Yes, Dr. Gorma, how is he?"

  
The older man walked into the room, "The best way to describe it is to say it's very similar to the influenza you have on Terra.  But luckily, it usually passes quickly."

  
She nodded, "What do we do?"  
  
"He needs rest and we need to try and keep fluids in him.  I left some medicine that will help lower his fever."

"How long will he be sick?"

"Well, if he gets enough rest and can keep enough down to keep up his strength, he'll start to feel better in a few days."

"What about the baby?"  Darcy asked.

"Keep her away from him.  I would even suggest you move her out of here for now, maybe she can share the nursery with the young Princess.  You might not want to share the bed with him for a few days."

"I'm not going to leave him alone."

He smiled at her, "I know you want to care for him, but I don't think you want to get sick too.  Get plenty of rest and I suggest you do that in a bed other than the one next door."

She sighed, "Where did he get this?"

"Some of the guards have been sick, but they've all taken off from work.  To be honest, I'm surprised he's the only one who's come down with it, but he does tend to work with the guards the most, doesn't he?"

"Yeah," Darcy settled Schuyler on her hip.  "This couldn't have come at a worse time.  His parents are coming in today and Christmas is just over a week away."

"He should be better by then, just make sure he gets some rest.  I'll be in to check on him."  Dr. Gorma turned to the door.  "Oh, and if you start to feel unwell, or if the baby starts to show signs of illness, let me know right away."

  
"Okay, I will, thank you very much Dr. Gorma, for everything."

He nodded to her and left.

*********************************************************

Becca had just finished getting dressed when there was a knock on her door.  Grinning, she opened the door, expecting Pidge but finding her mother.  "Uh, hi Mom, good morning."  She forgot, Pidge was on duty and she wouldn't see him for a couple of hours.

"Good morning, dear, how did you sleep?"  Lucy Barlow walked past her daughter and entered the room.

"Good.  You?"

"Good, good.  It's a lovely room, really."  
  


"Yup."

"So, what do you have planned for today?"  
  

Becca sat on the bed and tucked her legs under her, "I thought we were going to go into town."  
  


Lucy sat beside her daughter, "Is Pidge coming with us?"

Becca blushed a bit and nodded.

"So, is he the real reason you visited this summer?"

She looked up at her mother, surprised.

"Oh, come on, Becca, I'm not stupid.  I know you two hit it off at Darcy's wedding and you wrote and called each other frequently. And a boy doesn't give you a necklace like that," she indicated the silver caduceus Becca wore around her neck, "if you're just a friend.  How come you didn't tell me?"

Becca shrugged, "I don't know.  I guess we weren't really sure how to tell you guys, I mean, Dad wasn't too keen on the idea of Darcy and Lance, so I can only imagine what he would think if he found out I was seeing one of the other Voltron pilots."  
  


"Oh, honey, you have to understand, we met Lance under, um, not very comfortable circumstances.  And Darcy had just been shot, we were worried and upset.  You know we love Lance and we're glad he and your sister are so happy.  I don't want you to think you can't come to us with this.  We want you to be happy."

"I am happy."

"Well, we don't want this to get in the way of your studies, you have worked so hard and so long…"

"It's not getting in the way, Mom, he makes me happy."  
  


Lucy smiled at her, "Tell me about him."  And she watched as her youngest daughter's face lit up while she talked about Pidge.  She became animated and excited while she extolled his virtues.

"I've never known anyone like him.  He is so smart and sweet.  He is kinda shy, which is why he was so quiet last night, but once you get past that he is such a great guy, Mom."

"I'm glad you found someone who makes you so happy, dear, but what about the distance?"

"We're dealing with that."

"It can't be easy."

Becca looked down at her hands, "It's not.  But we email each other practically every day, we call each other when we can, and I'm coming back this summer and Pidge is planning to come to Terra for my birthday."

Lucy patted her knee, "I want you to know you can come to me about anything, dear."

"We were going to take you guys to lunch and talk to you then, tell you all about us."

"I promise to keep your father in line."

"Thanks, Mom," Becca smiled at her.

"I'll go see if your father is ready to go down for breakfast," Lucy stood and crossed the room.  "When do you want to head into town?"

"Well, Pidge is on duty until ten, so how about eleven?"

"Sounds good, I know Darcy wants to go too and I want to go see Schuyler."

Becca smiled, "Alright, I'll see you in a few minutes for breakfast.  Do you know how to get to the dining room?"

"Darcy is going to come and get us.  Maybe I should ask her for a tour of the castle again," Lucy opened the door and jumped when she saw Darcy standing there, her hand raised to knock. 

"Geez, Ma, you just about gave me a heart attack," Darcy laid a hand to her chest.

"Good morning to you too," Lucy said wryly.

"We have a change of plans today," Darcy told her.  "Lance is sick, so I thought you would like to babysit for the day."  
  
"I would love to," Lucy held out her hands to take the baby and the diaper bag Darcy had, then listened as her daughter went through a list of instructions.  Lucy nodded and tucked her tongue in her cheek while she pretended to have no idea how to care for a baby and let Darcy explain what to feed her and how to change her diaper.

"Is Lance okay?"  Becca asked.

"Dr. Gorma said it's like the flu, he'll be alright in a few days.  I don't want Sky to be sick for Christmas, so I'll probably set her up in Cady's room."  
  


"Nonsense," Lucy said.  "She can stay with us."

"But, Ma, she gets up really early and…"  
  


"You know, Darcy, I raised you and your sister, I have an idea how to handle a baby."

Darcy smile gratefully, "Thanks Ma, I'll get her stuff together later.  I'm really sorry I can't go into town with you guys."

"Oh that's alright, it will give us time to get to know Becca's new beau."

Darcy raised her eyebrows questioningly, "Oh, really?"

"Can we be mature about this?"  Becca pleaded, taking Schuyler from her mother.

"No," Darcy and Lucy said at the same time.

Becca snorted, "Well, that was scary." 

********************************************************

At 10:30, Becca went in search of Pidge.  She figured she would give him a little time after he got off duty before she went to talk to him.

"Who is it?"  He called through the door when she knocked.

"It's me," she called back.

"Uh, yeah, give me a second."

  
She heard some rustling around and then it sounded like he banged into the desk and he swore before telling her to come in.

"Are you okay?"  She asked, entering the room.

He stood beside his desk, shirtless, water dripping from his wet hair, rubbing his hip, "I just got out of the shower."

"Really?  I hadn't noticed."

"Smartass.  I can't find my glasses," he mumbled, a little embarrassed.

"You lost your glasses?"

"I thought I had left them on the table beside my bed, but they aren't there."

Becca walked around to the side of the bed and looked, finding them on the floor half way under the bed.  "Here they are."

"Where were they?"

"They had fallen onto the floor."  
  


"What would I do without you?"  He asked, taking the glasses from her.

"Walk into the wall?"

"Did you come here to make fun of me?"

"No, I came here to ogle you."

"Ogle me?"  
  


She smiled slyly, "Well, you are standing there, half-naked."

"I prefer to think I'm half-dressed."

"Always the pessimist," she sighed.

He laughed, "You're such a flirt."

"Yeah, but you love that about me."

"Among other things," he admitted, giving her a quick kiss.

Becca ran her finger up his bare arm, feeling the goosebumps, wondering if they were from her or if he was cold.  "We have half an hour before we have to meet my parents."

"Becca, behave yourself."  He warned.

"And if I don't?"

"I'm nervous enough about talking to your parents, let's not make it worse."

"Do I make you nervous?"

"No, you do something entirely different to me."

She brought her arms up around his neck, "Oh yeah?  Like what?"

"You know what," he muttered, capturing her lips with his in a deep, drawn out kiss.

Without breaking contact, Becca ran her hand down his shoulder, across his chest and around his back, feeling as much of him as she could.  He groaned against her mouth, tightening a hand in her hair.  

Very reluctantly, Pidge pulled away, "I have to finish getting dressed."

"I think you look fine as you are."

"Uh huh," he turned and walked to his closet.  "So your parents know I'm tagging along?"

"Well, here's the thing," Becca sat on the edge of his bed.  "Lance is sick, so he and Darcy aren't joining us."

"So it'll just be the four of us?"

"The five of us."

Pidge looked at her, questioningly.

"We have the baby with us."

  
"This keeps getting better and better," he mumbled.

"Hey, what's wrong with Schuyler?"  Becca asked, defensively.

"What?  Oh, nothing, I love Sky, you know that.  I just don't think it'll be any easier getting the third degree from your father while the constant reminder of Lance's pre-marital fooling around with your sister is sitting in a stroller right beside him."

Becca laughed, "Need I remind you that you partook in some pre-marital fooling around with me."

"Yeah, well…I don't know how to respond to that."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, my mother knows all about us, she approves and she promised to keep Dad in line."

Pidge buttoned up his shirt, "She's a little woman and he's a rather large man.  Should I wear a tie?"

"You would be surprised what she is capable of.  No, you don't need to dress up that much and you'd be tugging at it the entire time."

"Alright, come on, lets get this show on the road," he mumbled, attaching his communicator to his belt and grabbing his watch off the dresser.

"You're so cute when you're nervous," she teased, taking his hand.

*******************************************************

"How long have you been with the Voltron Force?"

"We've been on Arus together for just over eight years now."

"And the Garrison hasn't reassigned you?"

"We all resigned from the Garrison, except for Caleb and Dante, after the defeat of Doom and took up permanent residence here on Arus."

"So you work for the royal family now?"  
  


"The Arusian military, sir."

"And do you see yourself still living in the castle in five or ten years?"  Howard asked Pidge across the table.

"I, uh, I don't know."  Pidge said.  Thirty minutes of questions about his past and future combined with discussions about how this affects Becca's future were starting to wear on him.  
  
"Come on, Dad, that's enough," Becca spoke up. "We've only been dating for a few months.  Back off a little."

"I just can't believe that both my daughters have gotten involved with men on the Voltron Force.  What happens when you finish school, Rebecca?"  
  


"Yeah, well, here's the thing," Becca took a nervous sip of her drink.  "I've talked to Dr. Gorma, the castle physician, and he offered me an internship here so I could eventually take over for him when he retires."

Lucy's eyes widened, "That's quite a commitment.  What if something happens between the two of you before then?"  
  


"I agreed to Dr. Gorma's offer because I want to come to Arus, I really like it here.  I did it for myself," Becca assured her.  "He is an amazing doctor and I really think I can learn a lot from him."

Lucy nodded, obviously approving of her daughter's answer.

Under the table, Becca squeezed Pidge's knee reassuringly, "So where did you guys want to go after lunch?"

"I think we'll have to go back to the castle for Schuyler's nap," Lucy told her.

"Oh, I had hoped we could do a little shopping," Becca said.

"We can.  Um, you can take the car back up to the castle, Mrs. Barlow."  Pidge said.

"How will you get back?"  Howard asked.  "It's too cold to walk back in this."

"I have my communicator with me, we can call for a car."

***********************************

"That wasn't so bad," Becca said fifteen minutes later as they waved after the car carrying her parents and niece back to the castle.

"Yeah."

She laughed and took his hand, "You can breathe now, honey."

"Bear with me, that was the first time I ever had to officially _meet the parents_."

"Really?"

"Uh, yeah, Bec," he blushed slightly.  "You're my first real, long-term girlfriend."

She stood on her toes and kissed his cheek, "Come on, I still need to find a few gifts."

"Good, I was hoping you could help me."

"Who else do you need to shop for?"  She asked as they started toward the shops.

"Everyone."

"Everyone?  Christmas is just a week away!"

"Nine days and that's plenty of time."

*****************************************

Darcy sighed deeply when her communicator beeped, "Yes, Lance?"

"Can I have some juice?"  He whined, pitifully.

She snapped the communicator shut and walked into their room, "You realize, don't you, that I'm in the nursery and you don't have to page me when you want something."

"I know, I'm just too weak to call out."

"But you're not too weak to get your communicator and dial me up?"

The only part of Lance visible through his cocoon of blankets were his nose and eyes, "Please, some juice."

She smiled, "I'll go get it."

"Are my parents here yet?"

  
"Their ship was delayed, they won't be here until later this afternoon, I told you that earlier."

"Sorry," he coughed weakly.  "I didn't remember.  Where's the baby?"

Darcy rolled her eyes, she had told him all this already.  "She's taking her nap in my parent's room."

"What are you doing in the nursery?"

"Wrapping Christmas presents."

"Mine?"

"Oh, there is one or two for you."

"Can I have one now?"

"No, Lance."

"Please?  I'm sick."

She laughed, "You're as bad as a child.  I'll get you some juice but you can not open a present."

"With a straw?"

"I'll see if I can find a straw."

"And I need some more tissues."

"Alright."

"No wait."

Darcy stopped, her hand on the keypad to open the door, "What is it, Lance?"

"Instead of juice could I have tea?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"Do you want anything in it?"

"No."

"Okay, tea and tissues, anything else?"

"Well, maybe some lemon in the tea."

"Okay, I'll be right back."

"Wait."

Darcy stopped and closed her eyes, _I love him, she thought to herself.  _I love him, I do, really I do._  "Yes, honey, what is it?"_

"Can you hand me the remote to the televiewer?"

Biting her lip, she walked over and picked up the remote off the bedside table, six inches away from where he was lying, and handed it to him.  "I'll be right back."

Nanny and Allura were in the kitchen sitting at the table drinking tea and eating sandwiches when Darcy walked in.

"How's Lance?"  Allura asked.

  
"He got the flu and has turned into a five year old child."  Darcy muttered, filling the kettle and putting it on the stove. "Where are all the munchkins?"

"The boys are asleep and Keith took Cady shopping for my Christmas present, so I have fifteen minutes of quiet."  She smiled.

"When are the Lieutenant's parents arriving?"  Nanny asked.

"They should be here around four.  When is Keith's mother coming?"

"Day after tomorrow," Allura told her.

"And Dante and Caleb are both leaving to go home tonight, right?"

"Yup, they'll be back after the new year."

Darcy sat on the vacant chair beside Allura, "Are we ready to take on the holidays?"

"Let's see, with four young kids, five grandparents, and a sick second-in-command, I think this could be fun."  Allura assured her.


	3. Some Shopping And Some More Visitors

Wow!  Thanks for the great reviews!  I really do appreciate them!

All relative disclaimers apply…you know how it goes…

Enjoy,

Failte

***************************************************

"Who do you need to shop for?"  Pidge asked Becca as they wandered through a gift shop in town.

"I couldn't find anything for my parents, so I thought I would come here and find them something special, something we don't have on Terra."

"How about this?"  Pidge held up a small white blob of porcelain. 

She leaned over to study it, "What is it?"

"I'm not sure, but it's by a local artist."

Becca wrinkled her nose, "Um, I don't think so."

"Well, while you're looking, see if you can help me find something."

"For who?"

Pidge shrugged, "Hunk, Lance and Darcy, Keith and Allura, your parents, Cady, Sky, whoever."

Becca shook her head and walked over to a display of frames and photo albums.

He picked up a candle holder.  _Allura loves crap like this,_ he thought. 

"Can I help you?"

Pidge turned to see a young saleswoman standing beside him.  He smiled, "No, thank you, I'm just looking around."

"Okay, well, my name is Pieatra, if you need _anything, just ask for me.  Pieatra."  She smiled prettily at him._

He nodded, "Yeah, thanks, I will."

Pidge watched as she walked back to the counter, looking over her shoulder at him before turning to her coworker and they giggled.  He rolled his eyes and went to find Becca.

"What do you think of this?"  She showed him a hand tooled, leather frame.  "For my parents."  
  


"That's, uh, that's nice."

She looked up at him, "You okay?"

His gaze shifted over to the counter and then back to her, "Yeah, I'm fine."

Becca looked over his shoulder and saw the two girls at the counter.  As soon as she looked over, they turned away and started talking quietly.  Smiling, she turned back to Pidge, "Want me to go beat them up?"

"What?"  He asked, surprised.

"Those girls, you want me to go beat them up?  You can't do it, I mean you're a guy and you're about ten times stronger than they are.  If I beat them up, it would be a fair fight."

Pidge laughed, "You're something else."

"You aren't comfortable with your celebrity, are you?"  She asked, seriously.

He flinched.

She laid a gentle hand on his arm, "You're an amazing man and an incredible soldier.  What you and the rest of the Force did for Arus is unbelievable."

Pidge blushed, "We were just doing our job."

"And they're grateful and in awe of you."

"I just wish I could go out and not have people look at me and whisper," he ran a hand through his hair.  "We've been here for years, the novelty should've worn off by now."

"They look at you and whisper because you're so cute," Becca smiled.  "Have girls always done that?"

He shrugged again, "There were always girls hitting on us, they think it's really cool to date a member of the Voltron Force.  Dante is really loving it."

Becca bit her lip, suddenly understanding his uneasiness when they had first started going out, his questioning her feelings for him.  "Pidge," she squeezed his arm.  "You know I…"

"I know," he interrupted.  "You gonna buy that?"

"Yeah.  Did you find anything?"

He cast a glance around, seeing a leather bound photo album with a gold embossed cover.  Thinking of all the pictures Lance had been taking of Schuyler, he grabbed it.  "Yup, let's go check out."

"Will this be everything?" Pieatra asked sweetly, taking the album from Pidge.

"Uh, yeah, that's it for now," he reached into his back pocket for his wallet.

"You're Lt. Audric with the Voltron Force, aren't you?"  She asked, ringing up his purchase.

He nodded, looking down at his wallet, fishing out some bills.

"This is a lovely album, is it for a friend?"

He sighed, "Yeah."

"Would you like it wrapped?"

Becca slid her arm through his and leaned against him, "Don't worry about it, honey, we'll wrap it later."

Pieatra's eyes flitted over to Becca for a moment and then back to the register, "It's free, Lieutenant."

"No, it's alright," Pidge handed her the money.

Becca giggled as they left the store.

"It's not funny," he scolded her.

She took his hand, "I love you, Pidge, I do.  And not because you're on the Force, but because after everything you've done, you still think you were _just doing your job."_

"I know," he kissed her on the top of her head.  "I love you too."

"Pid!"

They looked up to see Keith walking towards them, pushing Cady in a stroller.

"Hi there, Cady Bear," Pidge crouched down in front of her.  "Whatcha got there?"

"'Noman!"  She shrieked, holding up a stuffed snowman.

"Very pretty," he tapped her nose and stood.

"Pitty pitty pitty," Cady chanted.

"What're you guys doing out?"  Pidge asked Keith.

"Giving Allura a bit of a break and picking up her Christmas present," he explained.  "You guys doing a little shopping?"

"Yeah, and watching the girls hit on Pidge," Becca told him.

"Ah, so you're seeing the downside of dating a member of the Voltron Force," Keith smiled.

Pidge scowled, "You heading back to the castle?"

"In a minute, I want to check on the present Allura and I are getting Lance and Darcy."

"Oh, what are you getting them?"  Becca asked.

"Can you keep a secret?"

She nodded.

  
"Come with me."  Keith led them down three stores and stopped in front of a small shop, pointing at the window.

"You're kidding?"  Becca gasped.

"Nope.  Why?  You think they won't like it?"

"They'll love it!  I know Darcy will flip out!"

"What made you pick that?"  Pidge asked, leaning forward to examine it.

"Lance has been dropping hints, especially since they're now in the planning stages for the house."

Becca grinned at him, "It's perfect."

*********************************************************

Darcy lifted Schuyler off her parent's bed after changing her diaper and looked at her daughter.  She had just wakened from her nap and still had that heavy-lidded, tired look.  She wore red corduroy overalls over a red, white and green striped turtleneck, her dark hair falling around her face.  Darcy smiled at her and was rewarded with a tired smile.  

Darcy was a sucker for the holidays and she did have a tendency to get nostalgic and sentimental.  Last year at Christmas she had been about seven month pregnant and blamed her emotions on hormones.  She couldn't use that excuse this year.  Instead, she found herself feeling a bit overwhelmed with unexplainable emotion.  Her heart pounded as she settled her daughter on her hip.  Deep down, she knew it was a combination of excitement, nostalgia, thankfulness, and love.  Her life had taken so many turns in the past couple of years and she now found herself settled on a planet, married to the most amazing man she had ever known, and with the most beautiful daughter in the world.  Throw all that together with the holidays and Darcy found herself feeling a little weepy.

"Schuyler," Darcy kissed her daughter's cheek and leaned over to pick up the little stuffed mouse the little girl always slept with.  "Nana and Pappy are almost here."

"How's Lance doing?"  Lucy asked as she put aside the diaper bag.

"He was sleeping when I left him."

"Where are you going to sleep tonight?"

Darcy tickled Schuyler's nose with her mouse and smiled when she giggled, "I'll sleep in the nursery.  Where's Dad?"

"Keith took him down to the control room to show him what they do."

"So in other words, he's quizzing Keith about Pidge."

"Yup."

Darcy's communicator beeped and she unclipped it from her belt, "Yeah?"

"Hey, Darc, the ship just entered Arusian airspace, they should be landing within fifteen minutes."  Keith told her.

"Alright, we'll be down in a minute," She snapped the communicator shut and turned to her mother. "Lance's parents are landing, do you want to come greet them with us?"

"Sure," Lucy grabbed her coat off the hook on the back of the door.

"I have to stop by the nursery and pick up Schuyler's coat," Darcy told her mother as they headed down the hallway.

"Where are Lance's parents going to be staying?"

"The same hall as you guys, a few doors down.  Keith's mother will be staying there too."

"I've been wondering, but I didn't want to seem tactless," Lucy lowered her voice.  "What happened to Keith's father?"

"He died when Keith was fourteen, he was in his first year at the Academy."

"Oh, poor Keith," Lucy sighed.  "He is such a good father himself."

"Yeah, he is," Darcy stopped in front of the nursery door and handed Schuyler to her mother.  "I'll be right back."

"Darcy?"

She heard Lance's muffled voice as she entered the nursery.  "Yeah, Lance."  She grabbed Schuyler's coat and hat and walked into their room, "How're you feeling?"

The blankets moved as he shrugged inside his cocoon.

Sitting on the side of the bed, Darcy pushed the blankets away from his pale face, "Keith just told me your parent's ship has entered Arusian airspace, they'll be on the ground in a couple of minutes."  
  


He nodded, "Tell 'em I'm sorry I can't meet them."

"They'll understand, honey, don't worry about it," she stroked his warm cheek.  "Just rest so you can be better for Christmas."

"I love you, Darc."

She smiled at him, "I love you too."

"And I'd love you even more if you brought me some juice."

"Smooth, Collier," she laughed.  "I'll get some juice."

"Thank you," he mumbled.

Darcy stood and got her coat from the closet, "Is there anything else you need?"

"Don't forget the straw."

"Okay."

"A bendy straw."

"Okay, Lance."  Darcy slid her coat on and met her mother in the hall. 

"Is everything alright?"  Lucy asked.

"Yeah, he's still whining." Darcy took Schuyler and set her on the floor, gently guiding her arms into the sleeves of her coat.  After zippering up the coat, tying her hat under her chin and tugging the mittens on her little hands, Darcy lifted Schuyler up and turned to her mother, "I think we're finally ready."

Lucy clucked her tongue, "Such a beautiful little girl."  
  


"You're a little biased, Mom," Darcy teased.

"Not in the least," Lucy insisted, watching as Schuyler tilted her head back and babbled.

"They're just about to land," Keith told Darcy as they entered Castle Control.

Darcy nodded, "Thanks Keith."  She looked down at Schuyler, jiggling her, "Ready to see Nana and Pappy, Sky?"

The little girl clapped her hands and squealed.

"The main tarmac," Keith called after them.

The ship had just touched down as Darcy, her daughter, and her mother walked outside.  They watched the door on the ship slide open and the steps glide down to the ground.  

"I told you to double check your bag," Molly Collier scolded her husband as the descended the steps.

"I figured you packed it, you never forgot it before," Felix Collier told his wife.

"This is Schuyler's first Christmas, all I asked was for you to pack the camera and what was the one thing you forgot?"

"I'm sure we can pick up a camera in town and if I know my son, Lance has already stockpiled film."

"He has," Darcy spoke up. 

"Oh!  Oh, Darcy hi!"  Molly dropped the bag in her hand and ran toward them.  "How are you?  Oh, Schuyler!  My little angel!  How are you?  Look at those mittens, so cute.  Where's Lance?"

Darcy had thought she was used to Lance's mother and her rapid fire way of talking, "Hi, Molly, Felix.  Lance is sick, he's in bed right now."

Concern crossed Molly's face, "What's wrong with him?"

"Just a little bug, he'll be fine in a few days," Darcy assured her.

"Is he whining yet," Felix asked, giving her a hug.

"When isn't he?"  Darcy quipped.

"True, true," Molly turned to Darcy's mother.  "Lucy, it's wonderful to see you again."

"And you, Molly, how was your trip?"

"Very nice, but long.  Oh, how I wish they didn't live so far away."

Darcy rolled her eyes.  Their parents had moved on to subtle ways of asking them to move back to Terra.

"Come on," Felix draped an arm over Darcy's shoulder.  "Let's get inside where it's warm, I want to spend some time with that beautiful granddaughter of mine."


	4. Cookies And Snowballs

Hi!

I think this is my favorite chapter so far and I couldn't wait to post it.  

Due to circumstances beyond my control, I won't really be able to really update this coming week, but I will get back to it as soon as possible.

  
Enjoy,

Failte

*******************************************************

"How's Lance?"  Molly Collier asked as she rolled out the dough in front of her.

"He's feeling better, Dr. Gorma is in with him now.  He just doesn't want to lose the attention I've been showering on him," Darcy muttered, setting the dishes she had just brought from their room in the sink.

Molly chuckled, "He always loved to milk it whenever he was sick."

  
"Yeah well, you could've warned me of that before we got married."

  
"All men are like that, dear," Isabelle Whitaker, Keith's mother, told her.

Isabelle, Molly, Lucy, Nanny, Allura, Becca, Cady and Schuyler were packed into the kitchen a few days later baking Christmas cookies.  Well, Isabelle, Molly, Lucy, Becca, and Nanny were baking cookies.  Allura was attempting to bake and Cady stood on a chair wearing an apron and more flour than went into any of the cookies.  Schuyler sat in her highchair playing with a wooden spoon, a rubber spatula, and a plastic spaghetti strainer.

Darcy fell into the chair beside her daughter and snatched a cookie cooling on the rack.  "What is she playing with?"  She pointed to the little girl who was trying to brush her hair with the strainer.

"You young people all seem to think you need expensive toys for the children," Molly chided.  "All they need is something to bang and they're happy."

As if on cue, Schuyler started smacking the tray of her highchair with the wooden spoon.

"Yeah, that's not annoying," Darcy grumbled.

"Ah, does someone have a difficult husband?"  Becca teased.

"Bite me, Rebecca."

"Girls," Lucy said, warningly.  "Behave yourselves, its Christmas and Santa's watching."

"She started it," Darcy whined.

Becca stuck her tongue out at her.

Darcy threw a plastic cookie cutter at her.

"Keep it up and no one gets presents," Lucy said, brandishing a rolling pin.

"Pesents!"  Cady yelled, throwing a cookie cutter down on the table.

"Stop teaching my daughter bad habits," Allura scolded.

Schuyler let out a high-pitched squeal and threw the spoon on the floor as the door slid open.

"Oh look, the king has risen," Molly said.

Lance walked into the kitchen looking quite healthy, "Oh, it smells good in here."  He dropped a kiss on Darcy's head as he grabbed a cookie.  "And it's snowing out, Sky's first snow storm."  He kissed his daughter's forehead.  She giggled and clapped her hands.

"You look better," Darcy stood and brought a hand to his cheek, ignoring his eye roll. 

"Of course he is, he was probably feeling fine a couple of days ago but he wanted to milk it for all he could get," Molly said, tilting her head to accept a kiss on the cheek from him.

He stuck out his lower lip, "That's not true, I've been sick."

"Lanz!"  Cady held her hands out to him and pursed her lips.  

"She's quite the flirt, isn't she?"  Isabelle commented.

"Yes she is," Allura said, putting a hand up to cover Lance's mouth before he got near her daughter.  "Are you sure you're all better?"

"Yes, Dr. Gorma just gave me a clean bill of health," Lance told her solemnly.  "But he did say Darcy still has to wait on me."

"How are you putting up with him?"  Allura asked Darcy, removing her hand. 

"He doesn't realize that my waiting on him the last four days was his Christmas present."  Darcy explained.

"Pesent!"  Cady smacked her hands down on the dough in front of her.

"No, no, no," Lance spoke up.  "The last four days fall under your duties as a wife, it was in the vows.  You still have to get me a present."  
  


"No where in the wedding vows did it mention waiting on a whiny, immature…" she was interrupted when her mother shoved a cookie in her mouth.

"Don't say anything you might regret later, dear," Lucy warned.

"Yeah," Lance said, sticking his finger in the cookie dough.

  
"Don't do it, Lance."  Darcy warned, smiling.

  
"What? It's part of the pre-Christmas fun, right Sky?"  He held his dough covered finger to her mouth and pushed a taste of raw cookie dough between her lips.

They all watched as her little, pink mouth moved and her face scrunched up in concentration, trying to decide if she liked it.  After a moment, she raised her eyebrows and looked up at her father, opening her mouth for more.

Lance laughed, "That's my girl!  She likes it."

The door slid open and Keith walked in, wearing his thick winter coat, snow in his hair and on his shoulders, his hands behind his back, "What a beautiful day!"  He took in the scene before him and smiled, "Allura, sweetie, are you really trying to bake?"

"Hey!"  She put her hands on her hips and glared at him.  "I'm doing a great job!"

Keith looked at his mother who stood behind Allura.  Isabelle shook her head and mouthed 'Don't touch her cookies.'

"I see you finally got your sorry butt out of bed," Keith turned to Lance.

"Back off, I was sick."  Lance sat on Darcy's lap, "Just ask my nurse."

"He was faking it," Darcy groaned under his weight.

Keith studied him a moment, "You do look a little feverish."

Lance stiffened.  "No!"

"Maybe you should cool down."

Faster than he had moved in days, Lance was on the other side of the table, holding Cady in front of him.  "Don't make me use her!"

  
Cady squealed with laughter and clapped, "Daddy!"

"Put her down, Lance," Keith grinned.

"Put _it_ down."

"Hey, I'm just trying to help you lower your fever.  Now put Cady down."

Shaking her head, Isabelle took Cady from Lance while Becca pushed him toward the door.  Without a child or woman to use as a shield, Lance was vulnerable.  The snowball hit him squarely in the face.

"Not in my kitchen!"  Nanny roared.

"You're going down!"  Lance shouted.  "Come on," he ran around the table and grabbed Darcy's hand.  "We have a fight on our hands."

"Uh uh, _you_ have a fight on _your_ hands," she argued.

He held up her left hand, "When we got married, _my fights became __our fights."_

"Nuh uh," she shook her head.

Lance looked at Keith.  They nodded to each other.

Darcy got to her feet, "Allura, run."

  
"What?"  Allura looked up, confused.

  
"Trust me, run."  Darcy edged toward the door.

Allura's eye widened as Keith stepped toward her.

With reflexes honed from years of military training, Lance and Keith each seized their wives and tossed them over their shoulders, ignoring their yells and swinging limbs.

"Watch the kids, will ya?"  Lance asked the grandmothers.  "We'll be back."

"Becca, you too."  Keith said.

"Me too what?"  Becca asked.

"You too in the snowball fight.  We need an even number for a fair fight."

"I don't think…"

"Don't make me send Pidge in after you."

"Go," Lucy shoved her daughter toward the door.  "Before you're dragged out by the hair."

"Don't let Schuyler have any more cookie dough!"  Darcy yelled to her mother as the blood rushed to her head and she struggled against Lance's grasp.

"Let her have all the cookie dough she wants!"  Lance corrected.

"Don't undermine me!"  Darcy smacked his backside.

"Lighten up, it's Christmas."

"Then you can clean it up when she throws up all the dough.  It's too rich for her."

"You've had four days of practice cleaning up after a sick person."

"Why you ungrateful…"  Darcy's words were cut off when the door slid shut behind them.

Lucy shook her head, "It's just like they're kids again."

"I don't think they ever grew up," Molly said.

"There are days I think they're just children playing make believe, pretending to be adults," Nanny said as she took a finished tray of cookies out of the oven.

Molly laughed, "That about sums it up!"

*****************************************************

"How's your pile coming, Allura?"  Darcy asked, packing a snowball.

"Uh, I have a few."

"You're spending too much time packing the snowballs, this is about quantity, not quality." Becca told her.

Allura loved winter.  Her first snowball fight had been just a few months after the guys had arrived on Arus.  Keith had been in Castle Control, going over a report with Allura and Koran when Lance had sneaked in, his hands behind his back.   Before Keith could react, Lance had dumped a huge handful of snow down the back of his flightsuit.  And so began Allura's education on proper snowball building and fight tactics.  Lance and Hunk spent the better part of twenty minutes showing her how to tightly pack a snowball and what types of snow were the best to use.  Thus starting the annual tradition of their snowball fight.

"They need to be packed tightly so they fly better," Allura explained.

  
The three women were crouched behind a huge fallen tree covered in snow, stockpiling snowballs while the boys were hidden in the trees a ways away.

"Can you see them?"  Becca whispered.

Darcy slowly lifted her head above the tree's trunk and whipped it back down as a snowball whizzed past her head.  "I saw that Lance!"  She yelled.

"All's fair in love and war, babe!"  He yelled back.

"I thought this was our fight against Keith!"

"He's still under my charge!"  Keith shouted.

"Abuse of power!"  Allura accused.  "And I outrank all of you!"

The girls heard Pidge say, "She's got you there."

A snowball flew toward their fortress, grazing Becca's head.

"Oh that's it!"  Becca stood, snowball in each hand.  "You're going down!"  
  


Snowballs were whipped back and forth with surprising accuracy.  Pidge's glasses were knocked off twice, Lance was clocked in the temple, and Keith was hit repeatedly in the chest.  Allura covered her head with her arms as she bent over to grab more snow, Darcy was hit in the shoulder while Becca was hit in the stomach.  Scooping up some snowballs, Darcy took off running in the direction she thought Lance had gone, while Allura and Becca took off in opposite directions, both armed.

"I know that was you, Keith!"  Darcy yelled when she was winged.

"Yeah, but what are you going to do about it?"  He called back just as a snowball hit him in the leg.

Lance caught sight of Allura's pink coat in the white woods and hit her with two rapid fire shots in the back.  

She whirled around, but hit Pidge instead.

They had all entered the woods, dodging bare trees while trying to stay ahead of each other.  

Allura crept through the trees, listening for footsteps.  She kept rolling the snowball in her hands, packing it tighter.  The sound of a crunching snow behind her had her whirling around, but before she could fire off the snowball in her hand, she was tackled around the waist and rolled down a gentle slope.

"Gotcha," Keith grinned down at her, pinning her beneath him.

"How is this a fair fight?"  She laughed.

He looked down at her and felt his heart stop.  Her hair was down and spread out in a golden curtain against the snow, held back from her face by a thick pink headband that protected her ears from the cold.  Her cheeks were rosy and her mouth was open in laughter.

Allura saw the look on his face and her laughter died away, replaced with a flirtatious smile.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered.

"You're not so bad yourself," she whispered back, brushing the snow from his dark hair with her glove covered hand.

"I love you," he breathed against her lips as he leaned down to kiss her.

"Oh would you look at this!"  Lance declared.  "Consorting with the enemy."

Allura wrapped her arms around him, holding him against her.

Coming up for breath, Keith said, "This enemy has so much more to offer me than you do."

"I guess it's a good thing Lotor never tried to kiss you," Pidge quipped.

"He did," Keith rolled off his wife and sat up.  "But he slipped and kissed my ear. He was never very coordinated."

"Very funny," Allura sat up and shook some of the snow from her hair.

"Geez, so when do we expect baby number 4?"  Lance asked, offering Allura a hand.

"Uh, not just yet," Allura muttered.

Lance's head snapped forward as a snowball came in contact with the back of his head.

"Let her go," Darcy smiled, brandishing another snowball.

"And if I don't?"  He gripped Allura's arm.

Another snowball hit him in the back of the head.  Lance whirled around to see Becca behind him.

  
"You're surrounded," she told him.

  
"Yeah," Pidge packed a snowball.  "But if we have Allura captive, then we outnumber you guys."

Darcy stepped closer to Lance, tossing the snowball back and forth between her hands.  She ducked as the snowball Pidge threw sailed over her, missing her by centimeters.  "Don't make me fight dirty, Lance."

"Bring it on," he challenged, holding Allura in front of him like a shield.

Allura struggled in his grasp, "Let me go!  Keith, help me."

"Sorry," Keith shrugged.  "You're a prisoner of war."

"Oh, so this is war, huh?"  She stopped struggling.  "No more Miss Nice Girl."  Using the martial arts moves they had taught her, Lance ended up face down in the snow, his right arm twisted behind him.

"Alright! Alright!"  Lance yelled.  "I give up."

Allura let go of his arm and stepped back, watching him get to his feet, "Wuss."

Lance rubbed his shoulder, "Whatever happened to the sweet innocent Princess we first met when we got here?"

"You corrupted her," Allura stuck her tongue out at him.

"Poor baby," Darcy rubbed his shoulder.  "Come on, let's go see if we can find some hot chocolate."

Lance sniffled, looking for sympathy, and leaned heavily on her, "With marshmallows?"

"Yes, with marshmallows," she wrapped her arm around his waist.

"Real hot chocolate with milk or the powder and water kind?"

"You're a spoiled brat, you know that?"

"Only because you spoil me."

"Did I mention that since you lost, you guys are the ones getting the hot chocolate?"

"No, you didn't."

"Then I guess it'll be the powder and water kind."

Keith and Allura followed Lance and Darcy up to the castle, their arms around each other, talking in low tones.

Pidge took Becca's hand in his.  "You okay?"

"I'm great, a little cold, but great," she grinned at him, her lips a little blue.

He took his other hand and brushed snow from her hair, "You need to get warmed up."

She raised an eyebrow, "Oh?  What do you suggest?"

With a slight smile on his lips, Pidge cupped the back of her head and covered her lips with his.  His tongue slid over hers with velvety warmth, spreading heat through her body.  Becca brought her arms around him, feeling nothing but his thick coat.

"Pidge," she murmured.

"Hm?"  His mouth slid to her throat, getting a mouthful of wool scarf.

"Let's go inside…shed these coats…"  She found it hard to form a complete sentence when he found the spot below her ear and gently sucked.

He took her hand and pulled her along at a fast pace.  "We've been very well behaved the past five days, but this is killing me," he admitted as they trudged through the snow.  "I just want some time alone with you."

Becca felt a flush wash over her, "I'd like that too."

"With all the kids and baking going on, I think we can sneak away for an hour, at least."  He led her to a back door that crossed through the work room.  From there, they found their way into the hallway behind Castle Control and took back stairs up to his room.

As soon as the door closed behind them, they fought to remove coats, scarves, hats, and gloves.  Becca pulled his sweater over his head, causing his glasses to go askew.  She giggled and reached up to remove them, setting them on the bedside table.  Pidge sat on the edge of the bed, pulling her down beside him, attacking her throat with his mouth.  Becca tugged at his shirt, untucking it from his jeans while Pidge slid his hands slowly up under her sweatshirt.

Becca gasped when his cold hands stroked her warm back and she arched against him.  Pidge kissed his way back up to her lips, nibbling on her lower lip while he gently lowered her to the bed beneath him.  

He lifted his head and looked down at her.  "I love you," he whispered.  "It seems like ages since we've been alone."  
  


"I've been waiting for you to come visit me in my room," she admitted, running her hands up his back.

"I wasn't going to just show up, I was waiting for an invitation."

She smiled at him, "Well then consider this your open invitation."

He returned her smile, "I'll have to take you up on that.  Maybe we can…" Pidge was interrupted by his communicator going off.  Groaning, he sat up and picked his glasses up off the table.  "Where's my communicator?"

"It's not on your belt?"  Becca sat up.

"No."  He stood and went to the pile of outer clothing they had dumped in a pile on the floor.  "Here it is," he found it under his coat.  "It must have come off when, well, you know."  He flipped it open, "Audric."

"Where are you Pidge?"  Lance asked.

"What's up?"

"You were part of the losing team too, Pidge, why aren't you in here helping us make hot chocolate?"

Becca sneaked up behind him, wrapping her arms around his middle and resting her cheek against his back.

"We, uh, we've found other ways to warm up," Pidge told him.

Lance turned away from the communicator and called to Keith, "He's fooling around with Becca while we're in here slaving over a hot stove."

Pidge squirmed as Becca slid her hands up under his shirt.

Keith snatched the communicator out of Lance's hand, "Get your butt in here, Lieutenant."

"Come on, Keith, we don't want any."  
  


"What if I ordered you?"

"What if I disobeyed your order?"

"What if I told Mr. Barlow what you're up to?"

Pidge sighed deeply, "We'll be right there."

"Right where?"  Becca asked.

Pidge leaned down and picked up his discarded sweater, "I have go help Lance and Keith make hot chocolate."  
  


"You _have_ to?"

"Yeah, I'm part of the losing team so I have to help them," he pulled the sweater over his head.  "Come on, you get served along with the other two."

She sighed dramatically and held a hand out to him, "Well, if you _have_ to wait on me, then so be it."


	5. Decorating And Reminiscing

"I thought we were going to set it up in the Observation Deck," Nanny said, surveying the tree in the corner of the rec room.

"We were, but then we do spend more time in here," Allura shrugged.  "And there is more room and seating in here."

The Christmas tree tradition was just one more thing the Force brought with them from Terra.  Their first Christmas on Arus they had a small tree decorated with paper chains and any little thing they could find for decoration.  Over the years Christmas trees gained popularity with the people of Arus.  Now ornaments and decorations were sold in town and Christmas tree farms had started sprouting up.  Since it was still too early for those tree farms to have grown large trees, the Force still cut their tree down from the Castle woods.

At the moment, the rec room was full as everyone unpacked ornaments, drank hot chocolate or spiced cider, snacked on cookies, and goofed off.  

Cady twirled around in a circle wearing a Santa hat Mrs. Barlow had brought her from her store.  Lance had been coaching her and now the little girl wouldn't stop singing, "Ho, ho, ho!"  She had bits of tinsel in each hand and draped over her shoulders.

"Decorate the tree, not my daughter," Allura teased Hunk as he dropped more tinsel on Cady's head.

"Pitty!"  Cady squealed, running to her father.

"Yes, you're pretty," Keith scooped her up and handed her a green ball ornament and pointed to a bare spot on the tree. "Hang it on the branch there, Cady."

She looked at the ball and shook her head, "No, Daddy, down."

Keith raised his eyebrows, bewildered, but set her down on the floor.

"Pid!"  Cady yelled, scurrying over to where Pidge was untangling a string of lights to hang around the window.

"Thank you, Cady," Pidge grinned at her, taking the ornament from her.

"Oh," Allura gasped, her hands over her mouth.  "Cady, you're so smart!  What a good girl!"  She ran over and picked her up, kissing the little girl all over her face, "You knew to give him green!  You're so smart!"

"Did I miss something?"  Howard whispered to Felix.

"Pidge flies the Green Lion," Felix explained.

"Oh, wow, Mom, Dad, where did you find this?"  Lance asked, as he opened the little box they had handed him.

"What is it?"  Darcy asked, coming up behind him.

Lance held up the ornament they had brought for Schuyler, it was a small red lion cub with the words 'Baby's First Christmas' and the year written across its stomach.

"That is so cute!"  Darcy grinned. "Where did you get that?"

"Oh we have our secrets," Molly smiled up at her from where she sat on the couch, cradling Declan on her lap.

"Schuyler," Lance crawled over to where she sat on the floor, sucking on the Santa hat Darcy's mother had brought her.  "Look what Nana and Pappy brought you," he dangled the ornament in front of her.

She dropped the hat and reached for the ornament, "My!"  As soon as she had it clenched in her tiny hand, Schuyler shoved it, feet first, into her mouth.

"No, you don't eat it," Lance tugged it from her mouth and picked her up before she started crying.  "You're spending too much time with Uncle Hunk."

"Hey!"  Hunk called, well, it came out muffled through his mouthful of cookies.

Lance ignored him, "Let's hang your first ornament on the tree."  Schuyler reached out for the little lion and started crying as soon as it was on the tree branch.  "You know what you need," Lance looked down at the scrunched up, red face of his daughter.  "You need music."

Becca reached up to hang an ornament on a high branch around the side of the tree.  

"Let me," Pidge whispered, taking the ornament from her hand and hanging it for her.  "It's not often I'm actually the taller one."  Although he had grown to 5'10", Pidge was still the shortest one on the Force, Caleb beating him by an inch.  He dropped his hands to her shoulders and squeezed them before stepping back.

"They're so cute," Lucy whispered to Darcy.

Darcy fell back onto the couch, watching Lance dance around the room with their daughter while he sang along, off-key, to the Christmas album he had put on.  "Yeah, they are."

  
Lucy chuckled, "I'm talking about Pidge and your sister."

"What, oh yeah, them too."

"Come on, Lance, please don't sing," Hunk pleaded.

"Don't listen to him, you have a lovely voice," Molly spoke up.

"You need to clean your ears out again, dear," Felix called from where he was helping Pidge string lights up around the window.

Allura stood back, holding Cady on her hip, "It looks fantastic."

"Let's light her up," Keith said.  "Someone get the lights."

"Got it," Howard flipped the switch, plunging the room into a state of near darkness.

"Here we go," Keith plugged in the lights, highlighting the tree.

A collective gasp and a spattering of applause filled the air.

"It's lovely."

"Really beautiful."

"Nice."

"That tree is the perfect size and shape."

"Ow, Lance, you stepped on my foot."

"Sorry, man."

Keith wrapped an arm around Allura's waist, "Merry Christmas, baby."

She smiled up at him, the various colors of the twinkling lights playing across his handsome face, "Yes it is."  She stood on her toes and kissed him.

******************************************************

Allura rolled over in bed and found her way unimpeded.  She opened an eye, expecting to see the dark outline of Keith lying next to her, she saw an empty bed instead.  A glance at the glowing clock told her it was 4:12 in the morning.

Stretching, Allura stood and pulled her robe on, securing it around her waist.  She first checked Cady's room, the little girl was curled up, sound asleep, her blanket clutched in one hand, the snowman Keith had bought lay beside her.  After carefully closing the door, she turned to the boys' room.  Moonlight filtered in through the window and both babies were sleeping soundly.  Allura crept from one crib to the next, making sure they were sleeping and safe.

She knew where he was.  Stifling a yawn, she shuffled down the hall and stopped in the doorway to the rec room.  The Christmas tree lights were on, the steady glow casting a warm light on the room.  Keith sat on the sofa, staring at the tree, a mug of coffee in his hand.

"What are you doing up?"  Keith whispered.

"Looking for you," she whispered back.

The room was so quiet neither thought it would be right to speak out loud.

Allura crossed to the sofa and sat beside him, tucking her legs under her.  "Want to talk about it?"

He reached out and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her to him, "Talk about what?"

She knew he was avoiding her question, but she also knew what was on his mind.  Laying her head on his shoulder, she looked at the tree and spoke quietly, "Its times like this I miss my parents the most.  It would have been wonderful to have had them there for our wedding and for the births of our children, but it's the quiet, family times that I miss them the most.  They would love this, the full house, the holidays.  Mother would have been baking and planning our evenings.  Father would have been spoiling the children and telling stories."

Keith turned his head and buried his face in her soft, golden hair.  It frightened him, sometimes, how well she knew him.  "My father would've been telling bad jokes and dressing up like Santa."

Allura wrapped her arm around him and held on to him tightly, pressing her face to his throat.

That sat in silence, wrapped around each other, surrounded by memories.

"We have so much to be thankful for," Keith's voice was hoarse.  "But I can't help but think of what we don't have right now."

Allura tilted her head back to look at him, "You can't think that way, Keith.  As long as we remember them, talk about them, teach our children about them, our loved ones will never really be gone.  They're with us all the time, all around us."

He kissed her forehead, "It really only gets to me on his birthday and at Christmas, it was his favorite holiday.  Now that I'm a father myself, it all takes on a different meaning."

Allura felt a lump in her throat.  She turned and sat up on her knees so her eyes were level with his, "You amaze me, Keith, and I am so happy our children have such an incredible, thoughtful father.  After everything we've been through, after meeting in the midst of war, we have everything."

He flashed her a weak smile, "I know, hon, and I love you and everything we have."

"Tell me what Christmases were like when you were growing up," She asked, settling back beside him, her head on his shoulder.

Keith wrapped his arm around her, toying with a lock of her hair, "After church on Christmas Eve, we would go to the base holiday party where my father would dress up as Santa Claus for all the kids who had parents serving elsewhere.  He'd hand out small gifts and candy canes.  Then we'd go home and my brother, sister, and I would exchange gifts and give our parents the gifts we had for them.  When we were young we left out cookies and milk for Santa and carrots for his reindeer.  The next morning we would wake up and our stockings would be at the foot of our beds.  Dana was always the first one up, she would come into the room I shared with Gerald and wake us up.  Then we would all go into our parent's room and sit on their bed while we opened our stocking.  We always got oranges in our stockings, some kind of old tradition I never really understood, but none of us wanted them, so we would give them to Dad."  He cleared his throat, a smile playing on his lips.  "We then all had to get dressed and we had to go downstairs together, so Dana, Ger, and I would sit on the top step and wait while Mom and Dad took their time getting dressed.  When we finally went downstairs, we had to wait in the hallway for Dad to set up his camera and Mom to start the coffeemaker.  Our presents were separated into three piles, and they had to be the same size or we'd fight.  Every year, Mom tried to get us to go one at a time so we could all see what each other got, that never worked.  I think the longest it took us to open presents was fifteen minutes.  Then Mom would bring out some garbage bags and we all had to clean up the wrapping paper we had ripped off.  We'd have some light breakfast and just hang out together, playing with our presents, pretending we liked the clothes we got.  We'd have dinner at around five, a ham dinner with all the trimmings.  Mom always said that since we had turkey for Thanksgiving, she didn't want it for Christmas.  We had, uh, we had a lot of fun."

Allura laid a hand on his thigh and squeezed gently, "Someday Cady and her husband and Declan and Gideon and their wives are going to be cuddled up in their homes sharing with them their Christmas memories."

Keith snorted, "Yeah like Cady is ever going to get married."

Allura looked up at him, surprised, "What?"

"Why do you think we had two boys?  They'll act as her guards to beat away all the young men who think they can get near my daughter."

She smiled at him, "It's going to happen someday, Keith.  A handsome young man, maybe a space explorer, will come into Cady's life and sweep her off her feet."

He took a sip of his coffee and shook his head, "Nope."

"What?  Do you think she'll spend the rest of her life living here in the castle and hanging out with you?"

"Sounds good to me."

"What about the boys?"

"What about them?"

"Are you going to let them date?"

"Those handsome devils?"  Keith smiled.  "Like we'd be able to keep the girls away."

"Oh," Allura looked at him, indignantly, "So it's okay for the boys to date and get married, but not for Cady."

"Yup."

She shook her head, "Someday, Keith, someday you'll have to cut the cord."

He sighed and hugged her tightly to him, "Do we _have to go to this thing tonight?"_

"Smooth way to change the subject and yes, you know we do," she kissed his cheek.  "It's all part of being married to the Queen."

"At least it starts early, so we should be out of there at a decent hour."

"And then tomorrow is Christmas Eve," she added.  "And we won't have to leave the castle for the next two days."


	6. Speeches And Snow

Hi!  
  
Thank you guys so much for your reviews…I'm glad you're enjoying the fluff.  I promise my next story will have a little more substance :)

RedLion2, Queen Merla, QuikerKookie, Bell, everyone who has reviewed….thank you so much!  I really appreciate it!  You guys are awesome!

Enjoy,

Failte

************************************************************

"I could pretend to be sick," Keith suggested.

Allura chuckled, "No, you can't."

He stood in front of the mirror and straightened his tie, "Do we have to stay late?"

"Honey," she turned around on the stool in front of her vanity to face him.  "I thought you liked these parties."

"I do.  Just not the night before Christmas Eve when there is half a foot of snow on the ground and more falling.  I would just rather stay in our nice warm home with our children and our family."

Allura stood and swept over to him in the dark red gown she wore, "It's just for a few hours."

"And then we don't leave the castle for two whole days, right?"  He toyed with one of her loose curls.

"Right."  
  


Keith took her hand in his and twirled her around, "You are absolutely breathtaking."

She smiled prettily at him, "And these parties give me reason to dress up."

He pulled her to him, wrapping an arm around her waist, "You are beautiful in anything you wear.  And I wish you would stop referring to it as a party, though, that would imply fun."

"At least most of the people there are old enough that it will have to be an early night."

Keith slowly let her go so he could answer the knock on the door, "Who is it?"

"It's your mother," Isabelle called through the door.

Keith punched in the code and stepped back to let his mother in.  She carried Cady on her hip, the little girl wearing her Santa hat, clapping her hands, and chanting "Ho! Ho! Ho!"

"Oh!  You two look amazing," Isabelle gasped.  "Let me get my camera!"

"We have to get going, Mom," Keith said, taking his daughter from her.

"Oh, you can wait another minute, I have to get a picture of this."  She called over her shoulder as she rushed from the room.

"Mama pitty!"  Cady called, holding her arms out to her mother.

"You're pretty, too, baby," Allura leaned over and kissed her.

"What about Daddy?"  Keith asked, tickling her.

  
"Daddy pitty!"  She yelled.

"Pretty?  No, Cady, Daddy's handsome."  Keith corrected her.

"You're awfully sure of yourself," Allura teased.  "You _are_ very pretty for a man."

He cocked an eyebrow at her, "Not funny."

"Ho! Ho!"  Cady called, tugging on her hat.

"That's right," Keith sat on the edge of the bed, holding her on his lap.  "Ho, ho.  Santa's coming."

Allura finished applying her lipstick and turned to face them.  "I think I'm ready to go."

Her announcement went unheard, drowned out by Cady's laughter as Keith laid her on their bed and tickled her.  Allura sneaked up behind him and started tickling him through his jacket.

"I'm not ticklish," Keith told her.

  
"Yes you are," Allura rested her chin on his shoulder.  "I just have to find the right spot."  When his arm suddenly jerked back and he squirmed under her, she knew she had found it.

"Allura," he hissed, trying to reach behind him to get her.

"Stop it you two, you look so nice, don't mess yourselves up," Isabelle reappeared in the doorway with her camera.

Keith stood and offered a hand to Allura, "Okay, Mom, let's get this over with."

"I'd think you were used to getting your picture taken, now smile," she instructed as she brought the camera to her eye.

"Where are the boys?"  Allura asked, turning to pick Cady up.

"Nanny and I just put them down," Isabelle continued to snap pictures of the three of them.

  
Allura sighed, "I want to check on them before we go."  
  


"Now what exactly is this you're going to?"  Isabelle asked.

"It's a long, boring evening where we listen to some long, boring speeches and eat fancy food that looks nice but lacks taste."  Keith told her.

Allura elbowed him in the side, "It's the annual Holiday party with our Cabinet, dignitaries, and some members of the press."

"Will you be in the newspaper?"  Keith's mother asked, eagerly.

He shrugged, "Yeah, probably."

"Oh, I want to see the pictures."

"We'll get you copies," Allura assured her.  "But we have to get going."

"Okay, come to Grandma, Cady," Isabelle held her hands out for her granddaughter.

"Be a good girl," Keith kissed her forehead.  "Behave for Grandma."  
  


"Ho! Ho!"  Cady responded.

"Ho, ho, goodnight, sweetie," Allura followed Keith's example, leaving a red lip print on Cady's forehead.

Suddenly realizing what was going on, Cady's lower lip began to tremble.

"Uh oh, you better take her to her room, Mom, we don't want her waking the boys," Keith said, cupping Cady's face in his hands and kissing her again.  "Be good, Cady Bear, Santa's coming."

She began taking deep breaths, signaling the beginning of a good crying fit.  Isabelle smiled weakly at them and carried her to her room, Allura blowing kisses after her.  

  
"I hate this," Allura whispered to Keith as they heard Cady crying for her from the room next door.

"We could skip tonight," he whispered back.

"No we can't," she whispered back, gently opening the door to their boys' room.  She crept to Gideon's crib and looked down at him.  Both boys had Keith's dark hair and dark looks, but their eyes were blue and Dr. Gorma said he thought they might stay blue.  They were fraternal twins, but it was difficult for people outside the family to tell them apart.  

"They look safe and sound," Keith whispered to her, coming over from Declan's crib.

"We make beautiful children," Allura sighed, gently stroking the baby's back.

"We do," he agreed, resting his chin on her shoulder.

She turned around in his arms, "I really love being a mom, Keith."

"I know you do, you're a great mother."  
  


She tilted her head back to look up at him, "And you're an amazing father, I couldn't do it without you."

"No, you couldn't," he teased.

"You know what I mean."

He leaned down and kissed her gently, "We have to go, babe."

After crossing the room to check on Declan, Allura followed Keith out the door.  "We'll make it an early night," she promised.

*************************************************************

"The growth of our capitol city, Alforia, is further proof of the hard work and dedication…"

The city planner's voice began to fade into the background as Keith tried to ignore the rumbling in his stomach.  Allura had spoken first, giving them all an update on all that had been accomplished and she had taken part in an answer and question period.  Although, everyone seemed more interested in their children and private life than in the budget surplus or their relations with neighboring planets.  She was followed by the president of the University who filled them in on how the school had been updated and the new programs they offered.  And then the Agriculture Secretary spoke on how soil was being replenished by the crops that had been planted and now the city planner was talking about all the changes made to Alforia.  Dinner wouldn't be served until after all the speeches were completed and then the press would be given the opportunity to take pictures and interviews.

Was it his imagination or were the speeches even longer this year?  He glanced to his left and saw Allura looking up at the man at the podium, her full attention on the speaker.  _How does she do it? Keith wondered.  He shifted his gaze again and saw the snow coming down outside, it had started coming down hard about half an hour earlier, but he hadn't let it worry him.  It was still early.  But it was coming down harder and faster._

Applause interrupted Keith thoughts. Startled, he began applauding with everyone else as the city planner, a middle aged man with almost no hair, but more than enough stomach, made his way slowly down from the make shift stage.

"Are you okay?"  Allura whispered.

"I'm fine," he whispered back.

"You've been restless and fidgety."

"No, I haven't."

She looked at him and raised an eyebrow.  

All around them the din of chatter filled the air as waiters and waitresses placed plates of salad in front of everyone.

He smiled up at the young lady who set the plate in front of him before turning to Allura, "Have you looked outside.  I think we should plan to end this soon."

Allura looked down at her watch, "It's only 8:30, we don't want to be rude, Keith."

"I know, but there are a lot of people here and it's coming down pretty hard."

She looked to the large windows and nodded, "Alright, I'll say something if it's still bad at nine."

******************************************************

"How late will Keith and Allura be out?"  Felix Collier asked.

Lance, Darcy, Pidge, Becca, Lance's parents, and the Barlows were all gathered in the rec room.  A fire roared in the fireplace on the wall opposite the televiewer.  Everyone had a drink in hand, either wine, tea, or hot chocolate.  They had all moved in there after dinner to talk and relax.  Now they had teamed off, Lance and Darcy versus Becca and Pidge against Felix and Howard in a board game.  Molly was sitting back on the one sofa crocheting while Lucy sat on the other couch, wine in hand, watching the game in front of her.  Keith's mother had gone off to check on the babies.  Hunk had left earlier in the day to spend Christmas with Paton and her family.

Lance glanced out the window to see the wind picking up and the snow blowing around.  It had been clear most of the day, but snow had started falling a couple of hours earlier and seemed to come down heavier by the minute. "I'm sure they'll be back soon.  Keith doesn't like being out in weather like this."

"Do you think we'll get a blizzard?"  Becca asked excitedly.

"I hope not," Howard mumbled.  
  
"Oh, come on, Dad," she playfully punched his arm.  "Being snowed in in a castle on a far away planet, it could be so much fun!"

"You're insane," Pidge mumbled.

She gave him a quick peck on the cheek, "You're just still upset we beat you in the snowball fight."

Howard watched this little exchange, but chose not to say anything when he caught Lucy's eye.  She shook her head gently and he took a sip of hot chocolate.

Lance glanced at his watch, it was just after ten.  "If we don't hear from them by 11:00, I'll try and contact him."

The door slid open and Keith's mother walked in, carrying a red eyed Cady.  The little girl clutched her blanket in her left hand and rubbed her eyes with her right, sniffling.

"It's a little late for Cady Bear to be up, isn't it?"  Lance asked.

"She's been crying for the past half hour," Isabelle explained.  "She just won't sleep."

"Lan'" Cady whimpered.

Darcy rolled the dice and moved their piece seven spots while Isabelle handed the sleepy little girl to Lance.  Cady curled up on his lap and stuck her thumb in her mouth.

"They just passed us," Becca whispered to Pidge.

A shiver ran down his spine as he felt her warm, hot chocolate scented breath against his cheek.  "Don't worry, they're almost completely surrounded by our property.  They'll be paying soon."

Lance stroked Cady's hair as Howard rolled the dice, "We may be paying you soon, but we have more property and more money."

Darcy yawned and laid her head on his shoulder, "They actually have more property."

"But _we_ have more money."

"Only because you've been sneaking it from the bank," Howard pointed out.

"Lance," Becca gasped.  "I knew we shouldn't have let you be banker."

"We haven't been sneaking from the bank," Darcy said.

"He did it while you went to check on Schuyler," Molly told her.

Darcy lifted her head and looked at her husband, he busied himself straightening Cady's blanket.  "Lance."

He raised his eyes to her, trying his hardest to look innocent, "Banker's fee."

Her mouth twitched, "I can't believe you're cheating."

"You can't tell me," Pidge said, "that you're surprised."

Darcy shrugged, "Not really."

"So it doesn't bother you that you're married to a cheater?"  Becca asked.

"It's alright, he's cute," Darcy turned and gave him a quick kiss.

Molly shook her head, "What a great example you will set for your daughter."

Lance nodded to his father, "Who do you think taught me to cheat?"

Felix looked down at the money he and Howard had accumulated, pretending to count it.

"It's a vicious circle," Pidge muttered.

Lance was saved by the bell, so to speak, as his communicator beeped.  He shifted Cady on his lap and unclipped it from his belt, "Collier."

"Lance!"

"Keith, where are you?  Is everything okay?"  Lance handed Cady to Darcy as she began to whimper.

"We're on our way back, it's slow moving though.  The wind has picked up and the snow drifts are blowing all over the place."

Lance made his way out into the hallway, away from everyone in the room, "Can you get back?  If you tell me where you are, I can get one of the Lions out there."

"No, we're not that far out, maybe another mile.  I just wanted to let you know so you wouldn't worry and I need you to go to Castle Control, let them know we're coming, open the garage door."

"No problem, Cap, but if you aren't here in ten minutes Red and I are going to come looking for you."

"Thanks, Lance."  Keith snapped the communicator shut.  The windshield wipers flew across the window, but seemed to make no difference in their visibility.  It was almost a complete white-out. 

"Keith," Allura whispered.

  
"We're fine," he said.

She sighed and looked out the window.  He had wanted to drive them himself, not that one of guards couldn't have driven, but she knew he preferred to be in control of situations like this.

*************

"Is everything alright?"  Isabelle asked as Lance walked back into the rec room.

"Yeah, it's pretty nasty out, but they're on their way.  He didn't want us to worry.  I'm going to wait in Castle Control."  He turned to Darcy.  "Contact me if you need me."

She nodded.

Once the door to the rec room closed behind him, Lance ran down hall and made it to Castle Control within moments.  "Pvt. Latham, I need you to tune in to the homing device in Captain Whitaker's communicator," he instructed the guard on duty.

"Yes, sir," Latham turned to the console in front of him and pushed a few buttons.  A red blip appeared on the screen, creeping towards the castle. 

"Ready to open the garage door," Lance said.

The door to Castle Control slid open and Pidge walked up to stand next to Lance, "Everything alright?"

"They've moved about ten feet in the past three minutes."

"But they're still moving?"

"Yeah," Lance ran a hand through his hair.  "We were high enough up in the rec room that we didn't realize how much snow had fallen."

"Keith's a careful man, he'll make it back without a problem."

"Yeah."

**************

Allura pulled her shawl tightly around her shoulders with her shaking hands.  Arus hadn't had a winter like this in years.  It wasn't unusual for them to get snow, their winters were short, but fierce.  

"It's alright, Allura," Keith assured her quietly.  "We're almost there."

"I know," she whispered.  She had complete and total faith in Keith, it was the snow and wind that worried her.

The car shook as a gust of wind blew over them, sending clumps of snow across their path.

Allura gasped when the car hit something and shuddered.  Keith threw the car in reverse, but the wheels just spun worthlessly.  He turned off the ignition and reached for his communicator.

Keith took her hand, reassuringly, "It's alright, honey, Lance will have us out of here soon."

************

Lance noticed the sudden stop of red blip on the screen.  He was debating whether or not to call Keith when his communicator beeped.

  
"Yeah?"

  
"Lance, we're stuck and I'm not exactly sure how far we are from the castle," Keith told him.

"You can't see the castle?"  Lance asked, perplexed.

"No, the snow is really bad out here."

Lance nodded, "Sit tight, man, we're on our way."  He turned to Pidge, "Stay here and oversee things from this end."

Pidge nodded.

Lance called a couple of guards to follow him.

**************

Allura shivered again.  The cold had surrounded them and was seeping through the car.  Her gown was a heavy, lined fabric and she wore a warm shawl, but it didn't seem to be enough to ward off the freeze.

Keith reached beneath him, pulling the handle beneath the seat and pushing his seat back, "Come here."

She unbuckled her seatbelt and slid awkwardly across to him.  Keith pulled his coat off, wrapped it around her and pulled her close.

"We have to be less than a mile from the castle, Lance will be here soon," he told her, rubbing his hands up and down her arms.

"It's scary to think we're that close and we can't see the castle."

"We're not in any danger, I'm sure Lance has been tracking us."

She nodded and laid her head on his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his waist under his suit jacket.

Keith kissed the top of her head and whispered, "I just want to point out that I didn't want to go tonight."

She smiled, "I know, I know.  You were right."

"What was that?  I don't think I quite heard you."

Allura tilted her head back to look at him, "You heard me, you just want me to say it again."

"Yup."

She dug her fingers into the spot beneath his ribs and felt him squirm, "I thought you said you weren't ticklish."

"I'm not," he insisted, trying to get her hands out from under his jacket.

"How long do you think it'll take Lance to get here?"

"I don't know, babe."

"How're we going to get to the castle from the car?"

"I think he's going to fire up Red."

"Is that really…"  Allura jumped back and screamed when she saw a face pressed up against the glass over Keith's shoulder.

Keith whirled around in his seat, automatically shielding Allura with his body.  He swore and smacked the window where Lance's nose was pressed against the glass.  

"Did you want us to come back later?"  Lance yelled.  "You look pretty cozy in there!"

"Dammit Lance! Get us out of here!"  Keith yelled.

Putting all his strength into pulling on the door handle, Lance wrenched it open.

Keith stood and helped Allura out, holding his coat over her head, he pulled her to him, "Where's Red?"  He called to Lance over the wind.

"Sleeping in her hideout!"

"How did you get here?"

Lance laughed, "Open your eyes man!"

Keith shielded his eyes and looked up.  The car had crashed into a large snowdrift about three feet away from the garage door.

Still laughing, Lance ushered them into the garage.

"Not one word," Keith snarled.

"Oh come on, this is priceless."  Lance chortled.

The two guards who had followed Lance out, looked in different directions, trying not to laugh as they followed them into the castle.

Allura stood upright and handed Keith his coat.  As dignified as she could, she pushed her mussed hair out of her face, "We're home and we're safe, that's what's important."

Lance snorted, "In the future, Captain, I would suggest you take a guard to drive."

"Shut up, Lance," Keith muttered as the made their way into the warm castle.

"I mean, come on, you're the leader of the Voltron Force and you fly one of the most powerful machines ever created, yet you can't find your way to a gigantic castle in a snow storm."

"Keep it up, Lieutenant and you'll be on all day duty on Christmas."

Lance straightened up and took a deep breath, "Sorry, Cap."  He pursed his lips, trying to contain his laughter.  "Cady will be happy to see you."

"She's still up?"  Allura cried.

He nodded, "Isabelle said she couldn't sleep, she was crying for over half an hour.  Last I saw she was in the rec room with everyone."

Sighing resignedly, Allura headed for the rec room, removing her earrings.

"How'd it go," Lance asked.

"I thought it would never end," Keith pulled at his tie.  "Allura wanted to wait until everyone else had left."

"Playing the proper Queen."

"Yeah, well, next year this meeting will be planned for earlier in the month."

The game had been abandoned, every seat in the room taken.  Allura stood beside Darcy, cradling Cady in her arms.  The little girl had her arms around her mother's neck and was wiping her nose on her shawl.

"Is she alright?"  Keith asked, walking over to his wife.

"Yeah, she's just tired and cranky, I'm going to go put her down."

He nodded, kissing Cady on the top of the head.

"How'd it go," Isabelle asked.

Keith pulled his jacket off and threw it over the back of a chair before sitting down.  "It was long and boring."

"I thought it was a party," Felix said.

He snorted, "So to speak."

"Was everyone able to get out alright?"  Lance asked.

Keith shrugged, "They all left early and since they lived in town, they should have.  I'm going to call down to the police department in a few minutes to see if there were any accidents.  We're going to call around to some of the people who left late and make sure they got home alright."

"What a night," Isabelle sighed.

"Tell me about it," Keith laid his head back.  "I'm looking forward to the next couple of days."


	7. Embarrassing Pictures And Happy Memories

"You are not really dressing her up in that, are you?"  Lance asked.

Darcy looked down at their daughter as she finished closing the snaps on the little Santa outfit, "Your mother brought it."

He rolled his eyes, "I never said my mother had good taste.  Don't we have a frilly dress or something we could put her in, I mean come on, there are going to be pictures taken."

"Oh stop it, she looks cute and we have a frilly dress for her to wear tomorrow," Darcy smiled at Schuyler as she lifted her off the changing table.  "Sky's ready for Santa, aren't you baby girl?"

Schuyler bounced and clapped her hands.

  
Lance rolled his eyes, "You realize, don't you, that she will hate us for years when she is older."  
  
"They'll be blackmail pictures, pictures we can show her future boyfriends," Darcy set her on the floor and watched as Schuyler crawled over to her toys.

Lance walked up behind Darcy as she put away the baby wipes and wrapped his arms around her, "My parents offered to take Sky tonight, so we can have an evening off."

"That's nice of them," she turned around in his arms.  "But it's her first Christmas and I want to get up with her tomorrow morning."

"Yeah, that's what I told them," he kissed her.  "But it looks like we're not going to get to go sledding today."

"What?  Is it that bad?"  Darcy disentangled herself from him and crossed to look out the window.

"Yup, drifts up to seven or eight feet high.  The town is completely shut down.  We're snowed in," Lance scooped Schuyler up and carried her over to the window.

"I know you think I'm crazy, but that sounds great to me," she grinned up at him.

"You _are_ crazy," he dropped a quick kiss on her forehead.  "But if you were sane, you would never have married me.  What is it with your family and winter?"

"I love snow, snowball fights, snowmen, snow angels, and then curling up under a warm afghan with a mug of hot chocolate and listening to the wind howl outside. It's great."

"I'll share an afghan with you," he whispered.

Shaking her head, Darcy lifted Schuyler out of his hands, "Honey, you need a cold shower."

"Where are you going?"  He asked.

"We're going to get some breakfast."

"Oh," he sounded disappointed.  "I thought you just invited me to take a shower."

Darcy rolled her eyes and shook her head, "Get dressed Lance."

*****************************************************************

Although she would never admit it, Nanny was happy to have some help.  Isabelle, Lucy, and Molly had helped with the baking and cleaning up.  Now, Nanny would never ask for their help, but if they offered, she let them, knowing it made them feel better.  But it was also nice having women closer to her own age, they had fun in the kitchen and after a few days, they had started sitting around the kitchen table after dinner, drinking tea and talking.  

Holidays on Arus had fallen to the wayside during the years of war.  Most of the Christmas traditions they now celebrated were brought to the castle by the members of the Force.  The tree, stockings, the carols, and Santa were all brought to Arus eight years earlier.  But with the castle full of children and family, Nanny began to truly understand the meaning behind the holiday and, although she covered it with a gruff exterior, she was loving every second of it.

At the moment, the kitchen was a flurry of activity.  Molly was making pancakes while Lucy toasted and buttered slices of bread and Isabelle cut up fruit.  Nanny stood beside Molly at the stove, cooking sausage and bacon.

"I was thinking," Molly spoke up.  "That today we could make a couple of coffee cakes so tomorrow morning all we'll have to do is warm them up, we won't have to worry about cooking while the kids are opening presents."

"That sounds good," Lucy said, stacking the neatly cut triangles of bread.  "It's my first grandchild's first Christmas, I'd rather not spend the morning cooking."

"Ach," Nanny muttered.  "That's no problem, besides I want to get an early start on tomorrow night's dinner."

The door slid open and Darcy wandered in, carrying Schuyler on her hip, "Good morning!"

"Oh!  Oh, will you look at Schuyler!  Oh, she looks so cute in that little Santa outfit!"  Molly dropped her spatula and hurried over to the baby.  "I'm so glad we were able to get a camera in town before we got snowed in.  Just wait until your cousins back on Terra see you."

"Lance is worried this outfit will warp her and cause her to hate us in later years," Darcy said, crossing to the stove to pick up where Molly left off.

"Oh no," Molly sat at the table, her granddaughter on her knee.  "It didn't warp, Lance."

Darcy almost dropped the spatula, "Lance?  You dressed Lance up like that?"

"Of course, and we have plenty of pictures."

"Did you bring them?"

"Of course."

"Don't get too excited, dear," Lucy told her.  "We have pictures of you and Becca too."

Darcy stacked the pancakes on a platter, "What?  You brought baby pictures?"

"Allura asked us all to," Isabelle told her.  "She wanted us to bring pictures and video disks so she could see what Christmas was like on Terra when you were all growing up."

"Oh," Darcy groaned.  "This has the potential to be very embarrassing."

"Ho, ho, ho!"

  
The door slid open again and Allura walked in, carrying Cady on her hip, "Good morning!  Oh it smells good in here."

"Hi, Sweetie," Isabelle kissed Cady's cheek, smearing lipstick on her face.  "Where are the boys?"

"Cady was hungry so Keith offered to get them dressed while I brought her down here.  I think he wants to prove he can handle the two of them alone," Allura paced the kitchen and popped a piece of sweet Arusian melon into her mouth.

"And it's driving you crazy," Molly smiled up at her.

"Nope, not at all," Allura muttered, checking to make sure her communicator was on.

"Do you want me to have Lance stop in the boys' room and see if he can help?"  Darcy asked.

Allura considered that for a moment, "Thanks, but no, I think he can handle it."

"Then would you please sit down, Allura, you're making me dizzy," Isabelle smiled.

She settled on the edge of a chair and started cutting up some pancakes for Cady.

"Why, uh, why does he feel the need to prove he can handle the twins alone?"  Isabelle asked, filling a cup with milk for her granddaughter.

Allura shrugged, "I don't really know.  I think it's some male ego thing or some kind of male bonding thing.  I don't know."

"Dear," Molly reached across the table and patted her hand.  "If he can handle the Voltron Force, I'm sure he can handle the boys."

Isabelle chuckled, "When my oldest, Gerald, was born, my husband decided to help me out.  The first time he put a diaper on, it was backwards."

"Felix once let the dog lick Lawrence's face clean, I was livid."  Molly spoke up.

Allura groaned and buried her face in her hands.

"Mama," Cady patted Allura's leg.

The door slid open again and Lance and Pidge walked in, followed soon after by Felix and Howard and Becca bringing up the rear.

"Do you think we should move everyone into the dining room?"  Nanny whispered to Allura.

Allura looked around, every seat around the table was taken, Lance was leaning against the counter, eating a strip of bacon and talking to his father who was standing beside him sipping from a mug of coffee.  Becca sat on a stool talking to Pidge while she munched on an apple.

"Nah, it's cozy and no one is complaining," Allura told the older woman.  "Cady, Schuyler doesn't want any sausage."

"I'll take it," Lance snatched the sausage out of Cady's hand and popped it into his mouth.

"Ho, ho, ho," Cady patted Schuyler's arm.

The door slid open and Keith walked in, a baby in each arm.

Allura jumped to her feet, "I was just about to come looking for you."  
  


"What?  You don't trust me?"  He gave her a quick kiss as she took Gideon from him.  

"Of course, I do, sweetie, I just…it…well…"Allura wasn't sure how to finish her statement without insulting him.

"It's just that she was worried because it took you twice as long to get them ready as it takes her," Isabelle told her son.

"Have a little faith, Allura." Keith muttered.

"Yeah," Lance came to his friend's defense.  "I only helped him change Declan's diaper."

"You helped him?"  Allura asked.

Keith threw a strawberry at Lance, "When are you going to learn to keep your mouth shut, Lieutenant."

"I just held Gideon while he changed Declan, I didn't _really help."  Lance threw the crust from his toast at Keith._

"Boys," Isabelle reprimanded.  "Stop throwing food or you won't get any presents."

"Pesents!"  Cady shouted through a mouthful of pancake.

********************************************************************

For the most part, Christmas Eve was spent relaxing and goofing off.  Pidge won the race down the main hall after Lance tripped Keith.  Four coffee cakes were made and one and half were eaten.  Instead of sitting around the table eating dinner, trays of cheese and crackers, vegetables and dip, and other little foods were brought into the rec room where everyone had gathered.

"Come on, just one," Lance whined.

"No, Lance, you can wait until tomorrow morning," Darcy told him.

"I don't think he can," Keith spoke up.

Darcy was sitting on the couch with her parents, Lance sat at her feet with Keith beside him and their two daughters playing on the floor in front of them.  On the opposite couch, Lucy, Molly, and Felix sat while Pidge and Becca cuddled together by the fireplace.  Allura and Isabelle sat in the wing chairs, each cradling one of the babies, and Nanny and Koran sat on love seat.  A fire danced in the fireplace while Christmas music floated around the room.  It was early evening and a relaxed calm surrounded them.

Lance stuck out his lower lip, "Come on, Darc, it's her first Christmas Eve."

"Tell you what," Darcy leaned over his shoulder.  "If Cady's allowed to open a present, then Schuyler can."  
  


Lance looked up at Keith who turned to his wife.

Allura smiled, "Alright, but just one."

Lance scooped Schuyler up and bounded over to the tree, "You get to open a present Sky!  Which one do you want to open?"

"Pesent!"  Cady yelled as she hurried over to the tree, stumbling a little in her long red flannel nightgown.

Keith followed her, "Just one, Cady."

"Not that one," Darcy said when Lance held a flat package out to Schuyler.

"Why not?"  
  


"It's a d-r-e-s-s…"  
  


Pidge snorted, "I can't believe you just spelled it out, she's ten months old."

"Yeah, but she's smart," Lance held up another package and Darcy nodded.

"Dis one!"  Cady held up a small present.

"No, that's not yours," Keith read the tag.  

Her lower lip started to tremble.

"The one in the red paper," Allura pointed to an oddly shaped gift.

"Oh wait!"  Molly dug into her bag and pulled out her camera.  "It's her first Christmas present!"

Cady wasted no time ripping at the paper and uncovering a white teddy bear wearing a pink dress and a pointed pink princess hat.  "Oh!" The little girl gasped.  "Pitty!"  She ran to Allura, holding the bear by the hat.  "Pitty Mama!"

Allura smiled at her and ran her hand over Cady's curls, "Yeah, baby, she's pretty."

Schuyler sat on Lance's lap while he helped her unwrap her gift, well, he unwrapped it while Schuyler tried to unstick the bow from her fingers.

"Look Sky!"  Lance held up the stuffed dog he had unwrapped, but she was too involved with the bow.  "Schuyler Grace, look, you got a puppy dog."  He tickled her nose with the little golden furball.

She squealed and held her hand up to Lance so he could pull the bow off.  The second the dog was in her hands, its nose was in her mouth.

"Mo'!"  Cady told her father.

"No more, Cady Bear, you have to wait until tomorrow morning, Santa's coming tonight."  Keith told her.

She tilted her head, studying him, "Pease?"

Keith grinned at her, "No."

She stepped closer and patted his cheek, "Pease Daddy."

"No."

Cady stuck out her lower lip.

"No," he laughed and lifted her on his lap.  "Did Mommy teach you to do that?"

Cady nodded, hugging her new bear.

"Teach her what?"  Allura asked.

"Teach her to get anything she wants from Keith just by smiling at him," Lance said.

"Hey," Allura declared.  "It took me many years to perfect that trick."

"And your daughter picked it up in just after a couple of years," Pidge said.

"So," Darcy said, watching as Lance waved the dog in Schuyler's face.  "I thought I heard something earlier about pictures of Lance in a Santa suit."

"What?"  Lance looked up.

"Oh, yes," Allura sat up straighter.  "I think we can out the boys to bed, then I want to see all the pictures you guys brought."

When Allura and Keith returned to the rec room, pictures and photo albums covered the coffee table and everyone had gathered around.

"You were so cute!"  Darcy held up a picture of a year old Lance wearing a Santa suit very similar to the one Schuyler was wearing.

"I was always cute," he muttered.

"Look Cady," Allura pulled the little girl onto her lap.  "That's Daddy."

"No," Cady said patting the photo of Keith at the age of five, standing beside the family Christmas tree and smiling.

"Oh, I want a copy of this," Darcy pointed to a picture.  It showed Lance around the age of eight, sitting beside the Christmas tree with a brown and white cocker spaniel, a big red bow on the dog's head.

"That was the coolest dog ever," Lance scooted over.  "That was Dexter, we got him when I was six.  He loved Christmas and birthday presents.  If we got him all excited, we could get him to rip open presents.  We used to get more presents opened early that way."

"Yeah, we'd hear 'Mom, Dad! The dog got into the presents, I guess since we know what it is we get them now!'" Felix said.  "That worked for two Christmases, when we realized what was going on we started putting gifts inside bigger boxes so if the paper got ripped off, they still didn't know what was in it."

"Sneaky," Becca smiled, flipping through one of the albums.

"Ah!"  Allura laughingly gasped.  "A potty training picture!"

  
"Where?"

Everyone leaned over the table, eager to see picture of their fearless captain sitting on a potty.

Sure enough, there was Keith sitting on a little plastic potty, wearing nothing but a proud smile and clapping.

"Aw, Captain, looking good," Lance grinned.

"I wouldn't get cocky if I were you," Molly produced a Polaroid.

"Oh my God!"  Darcy gasped, snatching the picture.  "I have to have a copy of this!"

"Oh geez," Lance muttered, looking at the picture of himself sitting on a potty and wearing nothing but a little red fireman's helmet.

Darcy leaned over and kissed his cheek, "You're so cute."

"But is he cuter than this?"  Lucy slid a photo across the table.

"Oh, nothing is cuter than this," Lance picked it up and studied it.  A petite little dark haired girl grinned up at him as she sat on a potty.

"How about Keith getting his first bike?"  Allura asked.

"Or Lance with his first guitar?"  Darcy pointed to a picture.

Pidge watched as everyone giggled and gasped over the pictures, reliving happy times passed.  He couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy.  Over the years the Force had become his family but it was times like this he missed his own.  He knew he would talk to Chip tomorrow, they always spoke on the holidays and their birthdays and whenever else they could, but at this particular moment, he longed for embarrassing pictures and happy memories of his own.

Becca turned to him and saw the pensive look on his face.  "You okay?"  She whispered.

He nodded and flashed her a weak smile.

She laced her fingers with his, "Wanna see my embarrassing potty training picture?"

He scooted closer to her, "Yeah."

Becca flipped through pages of happy Barlow memories, "Ah, here it is."

He smiled down at the sweet round face of the little girl who would grow into the woman he loved.  Her hair had darkened over the years from pale blonde to the light brown it was now.  His heart gave a lurch and he suddenly realized how much he wanted a family.  The quick, intense feeling almost knocked the breath from him.  He had never really thought about having children, he was still young and he hadn't thought he was ready to marry.  But as he looked around at his friends and their happy marriages and beautiful children, he was overcome with jealousy.

"Pidge?"

He looked up at Becca.  Everyone else was talking loudly and laughing, they didn't notice the two of them at the end of the table.  "What?"

"You look a little pale, you okay?"  Becca spoke in a low voice.

"Uh, yeah."

She reached up and stroked his cheek, forgetting they weren't alone, "What is it?"

He shook his head and handed her the photo album, "I'm going to get a drink, you want anything?"

"I'll come with you," she stood and turned to the others.  "You guys want anything to drink?"

"No."

"No, thanks, Bec."

"I'm good, but thanks for asking."

"I'll take a soda."

"Nope."

"No, thank you."

Becca nodded and followed Pidge out of the rec room.

"What is it?"  She whispered, taking his hand.

"Nothing, I guess I'm just tired."

"And you're a lousy liar."

Pidge blushed slightly, feeling foolish and selfish.  He didn't want to put a damper on anyone else's holiday spirit, most of all Becca's.  "Really," he assured her.  "Nothing is wrong."  He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, kissing her temple.

Becca wrapped her arm around his waist, still not convinced.  He had been in a good mood earlier while the girls were opening their presents and everyone was goofing off.  But as soon as they got out the pictures…

"Oh, God, Pidge, I'm so sorry."

"About what?"  He asked, opening the door to the kitchen.

"I didn't even think, we're so thoughtless," she walked over to the cabinet and pulled out a couple of glasses.

"Don't worry about it, Bec," he told her.

"No, I will worry about it because it's Christmas and I love you and I want you to be happy," she insisted.

He smiled at her and pulled her to him, loosely wrapping his arms around her, "I am happy."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

He shook his head.

"Do you want to ditch everyone else?"

He nodded and kissed her.

"Or we can just stay here," she murmured as lips skimmed down her throat.

"Mm hm," he walked her back until they hit the counter.  He picked her up and sat her on the counter so they were more level.

Becca wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, pulling him closer to her.  

"Ahem!"

Pidge jumped back, red-faced.

Becca buried her face in her hands and groaned.

"I thought you were bringing me a soda," Lance said.  "Oh, it's Christmas, I'm not going to tell on you," he teased as he crossed to the refrigeration unit.  "But you're going to want to come back before your father starts to wonder where you are."

"Yeah, yeah yeah," Pidge muttered.

"And you better watch out," Lance sang as he backed out of the kitchen.  "You better not cry, better not get caught making out, I'm telling you why! Santa Claus is cooooming to tooooown!"

Becca threw her head back and laughed as she took Pidge by the shoulders and pulled him closer, "He's going to get nothing but coal in his stocking."


	8. Naughty And Nice

Hi!

Wow, I guess you guys like the fluff :-)   Well, this chapter is quite fluffy, maybe _too fluffy, but, well, it's my story and I was in an extra fluffy mood…and it's a little risqué…so reader beware._

I am having fun writing this, but the fact that you guys are enjoying this makes it all that much better.  Thank you so much for your reviews!  
  


Enjoy,

Failte

*****************************************************

Darcy carefully stood, cradling her sleeping daughter in her arms.  It had been a late, exciting night and it had taken only a few minutes for Schuyler to give into her exhaustion.  

While Darcy changed and rocked the baby to sleep, Lance had sneaked down to the rec room and set their presents under the tree.  He passed Keith who had just finished setting out their presents.  Giving in to curiosity, Lance poked and shook a few presents, but couldn't find his and Darcy's gift from Keith and Allura.  He did find a few from his parents, but they appeared to be mostly clothes.

"What are you doing?"

Lance jumped and almost knocked some ornaments off the tree, "Geez, Pidge."

Pidge entered the room, his arms laden with packages.  "Are you actually shaking the presents?"

"Maybe," Lance mumbled, shoving a box back under the tree.

Pidge shook his head, "You're pathetic."

"Why aren't you bugging your girlfriend right now?"

"I'm going to do that, I just wanted to drop these off first."

Lance snatched the little, elaborately wrapped present on the top of Pidge's pile, "Is this for me?"

"You wish."

He shook it, hearing a slight rattling, "It sounds like jewelry."

"Uh huh."

"Well, I'm glad it's that and not some skimpy little thing I'd have to beat you up for buying her."

Pidge grabbed it out of his hand, "Why aren't you bugging your wife."

"Oh, I'm going to do more than just bug her," Lance winked at him.

Pidge rolled his eyes, "I really don't need to hear the details."

"Good night, Pidge," Lance laughed and clapped him on the shoulder.  "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Lance."

With a spring in his step, Lance whistled _Jingle Bells softly as he made his way back to their room.  He heard Darcy in the bathroom and knowing that it would take her about ten minutes to brush her teeth, wash her face, and do whatever else she did to get ready for bed, he started moving quickly._

"Schuyler went right to sleep," Darcy said as she walked out of the bathroom.  "She was just worn out and…"  She broke off and stood a moment, staring at the bed, dumbfounded.

"Merry Christmas, honey," Lance grinned at her.

Darcy fell onto the desk chair, laughing so hard she couldn't stand.

"Okay, now see, I was going more for romance instead of humor," he muttered.

"Oh Lance," she gasped.  "I can't believe you."

He was leaning back against the headboard of their bed wearing only a pair of red satin boxer shorts.  The legs were lined with fake, white fur, and a wide shiny black belt with a big fake gold buckle circled his waist.  The only light on was the one on his side of the bed with a red scarf draped over it, casting a warm glow over the room.

With a smile on her face, Darcy crawled across the bed to him, "I love you, Lance."

He cocked an eyebrow, "Have you been a good girl this year?"

Laughing again, she fell onto the bed beside him, "Why must you take something as sweet and innocent as Santa Claus and turn into something dirty?"

"It's not dirty, baby," he lowered his voice dramatically, "its love."  He rolled onto his side and began to toy with the buttons of her nightshirt, "Have you been a good girl?"

"Of course," she whispered, running her hand over his chest, tracing the scar on his left pec with her index finger.

"Well, good girls get presents," he popped open the first couple of buttons.  "Would you like a present?"

"Yes, please."

Lance gently caressed the scar on her chest with his fingertip as it peeked through the buttons of her nightshirt.  Darcy shuddered involuntarily.  The scar was no longer the angry red it had once been.  Dr. Gorma had told them there were plastic surgeons she could see who could diminish it even more, but life got in the way and they hadn't pursued it.  Now, Lance saw it as a part of her, like the little mole on the back of her left knee, and in all honesty he didn't want her to get rid of it.

"Lance," Darcy's voice was husky as she ran a hand threw his hair.

"Hm?"  He raised his gaze to hers.

"My present?"

"Oh, yeah," he gave her a quick kiss and sat up.  Reaching over to the bedside table, he picked up a long, flat jewelry box and handed it to her.

She took it, looking surprised.

"What?"  Lance asked her.

"Well, I thought, you know, that by _present you meant, well, something else."_

"Don't worry," he curled up next to her, gently nibbling on her neck.  "You'll get more than one present tonight."

"Okay, wait," Darcy pushed him aside and stood.  She sneaked into the nursery and returned a moment later carrying a flat, wrapped package in her hands.  "I was going to give this to you in the morning, but well, here."  She thrust it towards him.

Lance eagerly sat up and took the package from her, "Okay, you first."

With enthusiastic fingers, Darcy pulled at the gold ribbon and slid her finger under the tape.  Tossing aside the paper, she carefully lifted the lid and gasped.

Lance watched her nervously.  He liked to think he knew her well enough to know what she would like, but you could never _really _be sure.  Under the tree was a sweater, a couple of books and a few other things he saw and just had to buy for her, but this was something special, something he didn't want to give her in front of everyone else.  It was personal.

"Oh, Lance, it's beautiful," Darcy whispered, gently lifting the watch out of the box.  It was silver with a filigree band and diamond chips set where the 12, the 3, the 6, and the 9 should have been on the face.  It was lovely without being gaudy or flashy.  

"You like it?'

She lifted her eyes to his and smiled sweetly, "I love it, Lance, I do."

He reached over and stroked her cheek, "Turn it over."

On the back of the watch was inscribed, 'We Love You – Lance & Schuyler'.

Darcy felt silly as tears moistened her eyes.

"Darc," Lance smiled as he wiped a tear from her cheek.

She shook her head and tapped the gift on his lap, "You're turn."  Like Lance, Darcy had other gifts for him down under the tree, but she had to get him something special and personal.

"Oh, Darc, this is great."

"Really?  I mean, it's nothing compared to the watch, that's just amazing, but I thought it was something you could…" she was interrupted when he leaned over and kissed her.

"I love it, I do.  It means a lot to me."  He lifted the framed portrait.  Darcy had taken a photograph of the three of them to a local artist and had it painted.  It showed Lance holding Schuyler in his left arm and his right arm wrapped tightly around Darcy's shoulders.  Behind them, the artist had painted a faint watercolor Red Lion.  

"I know exactly where I'm going to hang it," he carefully set it on the table beside the bed.

"Where?"

"Over the fireplace in the living room of our house," he swept aside the wrapping paper they had dropped on the bed and took the watch from her hand, setting it beside the portrait.

Darcy found herself being forced back on the bed as he crawled over her, "That sounds like a plan."

"I love my present," he leaned down and kissed her while he worked on unbuttoning the rest of her nightshirt.  "And I love you."

"I love you too," she gasped as he sucked gently on her throat.

"And you're about to get your next present."

Darcy giggled, "Good, because the fur on your boxers tickle."

*********************************************************

Becca sat nervously on her bed and waited to hear the quiet 'creak' of the passageway door.  Pidge had only sneaked into the room once before when she was there, scaring her half to death.  She had expected the doorway to be in the back of closet, but in this room, it was hidden in the mouldings beside the fireplace.  

He had surprised her a few times by coming into her room when she wasn't there and leaving little tokens, a flower, a note, or even a piece of candy on her pillow.  It made her smile to see how he always seemed to be thinking of her.  

A fire was crackling merrily in the hearth, adding a warmth and reddish glow to the room.  Becca sat on the edge of her bed, tapping her fingers against her leg, wondering what was taking him so long.  After Lance had interrupted them in the kitchen, she was ready to ditch everyone else and sneak off with him.  He just wouldn't tell her what had him upset, but she knew he was thinking of his family.  He was hurt and she wanted to take him away from what was causing the pain, she wanted to take the pain away from him.  Pidge had only smiled and kissed her forehead, telling her he was fine and wanted to go back to the rec room with the others, but he would take her up on her offer later.

With a sigh, she stood and crossed to the window.  It was eerily beautiful out.  The moonlight shone down on the acres of untouched snow.  Bare treetops were dusted with snow and sticking up above the drifts, swaying gently as a chilling breeze rushed past them.  Although it was warm and cozy in her room, Becca couldn't help but shiver and tighten her robe as she heard the wind.

So lost in her thoughts, Becca didn't hear the 'creak' as Pidge pushed the door open.  She had her back to him, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, almost as though she were fighting a chill.  Her hair hung to her shoulder blades in messy, loose waves and he fought the urge to run his fingers through it.  He swallowed hard as his gaze moved down, taking in her short robe that clung to her curves and showed off her long legs.  Without even realizing it, she had the ability to make him lose his breath and stop his heart.  His hands ached to touch her and his feet carried him of their own accord as he crossed to her.

Becca jumped when she felt a pair of arms snake their way around her waist, pulling her hard against him.

"You're so beautiful."

She blushed as she felt his warm breath on her neck.  Turning in his arms she smiled shyly at him, "Hi."

"Hi."

The fire reflected in his glasses, making it hard for her to see his eyes.

"Where've you been?"

Giving in to his previous urge, he ran his fingers through her soft hair, "I had a couple of things to do."

Becca slid her hands up under his sweater, feeling his warm skin under her cold fingers, "I've been waiting for you."

"Sorry to have kept you waiting," he lowered his head and gently kissed her.  "Can I make it up to you?"

"Well, I guess you can try," she sighed dramatically.

Grinning, Pidge took her hands and crossed the room.  He gently pushed her back on the bed as he continued to attack her mouth with his.  Tugging at the knot on her robe, he pushed it from her shoulders, exposing the spaghetti straps of the dark green nightie she wore.  He groaned quietly as he trailed kisses down her throat and across her shoulder.  Her hands shaking slightly, Becca worked his sweater up over his chest.  He lifted his head and quickly pulled the sweater off, tossing it on the floor and returning to the task at hand.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I'm glad to see you replaced this," Pidge held her discarded nightie up by one of the thin straps.

Becca giggled and snuggled closer to him, "Merry Christmas."

"I'm really glad you didn't expect me to unwrap _that present tomorrow morning."_

She rolled over and propped her chin in her hand so she looked down at him, "I like you like this."

He raised an eyebrow, "What? Naked?"

"Well, that too," she trailed a finger down his chest.  "But I was thinking more about how relaxed you are and silly."

"Silly?"

"You have a great sense of humor, Pidge."

"You know, it really bugs me when you confuse me with Lance."

"Oh stop it, I'm serious, you do have a great sense of humor, but you only show it to certain people."

He tugged at a lock of her hair, "Only to the important people."

"Well, I'm glad you deem me important."

"You're the most important one of all," he kissed her.  "And since you just gave me a great Christmas gift, I guess I should return the favor."  He leaned over the side of the bed and dug into the pocket of his pants, pulling out the small box Lance had been shaking.  "For you, milady."

"But I didn't _really_ give you a present," she insisted.

"Oh yeah you did," he winked at her.  "Just open it."

Becca sat up, clutching the blankets to her, and stared at the beautifully wrapped gift in her hand.  Pidge sat up beside her, pressing a line of gentle kisses across her bare shoulder, watching as she carefully pulled off the ribbon and slowly unfolded the paper.

"You're allowed to tear it off," Pidge said, impatiently.

"Quiet," she scolded playfully.  "I'm savoring this."

Lifting the dark velvet box from its nest of paper, Becca slowly opened the lid.  "Oh, oh Pidge, it's beautiful."  She lifted the delicate charm bracelet from its bed of cotton.  Three charms hung from the interlocking silver loops.  A silver stethoscope and a small green enamel lion with silver accents hung on either end, but in the middle hung a silver heart charm with their initials engraved on it.

"That's just the start," he told her.  "I can add to it."

"Thank you, sweetie," she dipped her head and gently kissed him.  "I love it, it's beautiful."

Pidge laid back on the bed and pulled her down on top of him, "Come on, you can do better than that."

Becca looked at the bracelet and smiled as she set it on the bedside table, "Thank you, Pidge."  Her lips brushed his cheek and raced across his jaw while her hands stroked his chest and abdomen.  She lifted her head and gazed into his dark, hungry eyes as he ran his fingers tips up and down her back.  "I love you."

"I love you."  He brought his hand up to the back of her head and brought her mouth down to his.

*****************************************

"Allura."

The Queen of Arus burrowed deeper into her pillow, pretending to not hear her husband's voice.

Smiling, Keith brushed the strands of glossy blonde hair from her cheek, trailing kisses from her temple to her cheek and up to her ear.  "Angel."

"Hmmmm?" She groaned.

"Merry Christmas, Angel."

Allura opened one eye, "Is it morning?"

"Technically."

She looked up at the clock and saw that it read 12:02.  Years of late night attacks had trained her to go from sound asleep to awake and alert in seconds.  She sat upright and turned to her husband, "What is it?  What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Keith grinned at her.  "It's Christmas."

"You woke me to tell me that?"

  
"Yup.  Well, that and to give you this," he held out a small wrapped box.

"You woke me in the middle of the night to give me my Christmas present."

"Uh huh."  He was grinning like a schoolboy.

Allura chuckled, "I can't believe you."

"Well, I couldn't exactly give it to you before Christmas and I didn't want to wait any longer.  Go ahead, open it."  He sat up beside her, resting his cheek on her shoulder and wrapping his arms around her.

With deliberate care, Allura carefully undid the tape and pulled back the paper.  She had told him once that after her parents died, she hadn't really received many presents.  Every year Koran and Nanny made sure she had some little thing for her birthday, but times and money were tight and they were never wrapped.  Allura took great joy in slowly unwrapping her gifts, enjoying the act as much as she enjoyed getting presents.  

"This is also from Cady and the boys," Keith whispered eagerly as she carefully folded and set aside the paper.

Biting her lip, Allura lifted the top of the white velvet box and gasped.  Lying on the velvet covered cardboard insert was a gold pendant in the shape of a slightly skewed heart.  Three diamonds were inserted in a slot inside the heart so they appeared to be floating in the center.

Keith leaned over and rested his chin on her shoulder, "One for each of our children."

"Oh," she sighed, leaning against him, unable to speak.

He pressed his mouth to her ear, "And the heart is mine."

"Oh, Keith," Allura raised her hand up to cup his cheek as she turned to kiss him.

"I lost my heart to you years ago, Angel, and now we have three beautiful children."

Allura swallowed hard, trying to hold in the tears that filled her eyes, "I love you so much, Keith."

He shifted so he could cup her face in his hands and press a tender kiss to her lips.  Allura slid her arms around him, still holding the velvet box in her hand, and pulled him tighter to her.  Their mouths opened and their tongues met in a slow, seductive dance.  Allura felt her heart racing, wondering if he could feel it too.  After three years of marriage, he still had the most amazing effect on her.  A smile from him could make her knees go weak, a wink made her heart race. 

Keith slid the box from her hand and flipped it open again, "I just want you to notice that there is room for more diamonds, as needed."

Allura laughed, "Sweetie, I appreciate the thought, but I'd like to wait until the boys are out of diapers before we start on baby number four."

He snapped the box shut and laid it on the table, "Okay, but I think we need some practice."


	9. Presents And Decisions

Hi!  
  


Thanks for the great reviews!  I'm glad you're enjoying this story.

Anony ~ My next story is going to be all about how Keith and Allura got together…I've already started working on it :-)

Thanks!

Failte

***************************************************

Keith felt a tiny finger poke him in the cheek.  He slowly opened one eye and found himself nose to nose with his daughter.

"Hi Daddy!"  Cady squealed.

He smiled, stretched and sat up against the headboard.  Cady mimicked his movements and sat up beside him, her little feet sticking straight out in front of her.  She was dressed up in a red and green plaid dress, a matching bow pulled her blonde curls back from her face, and white stockings covered her legs.  Black patent leather Mary Janes were on her feet and beside her was the princess teddy bear she had opened the night before.  Keith felt a surge of intense love for the beautiful little girl sitting next to him.  

"Hi, Cady, where's Mommy?"

She pointed to the open door, "Bruders."

"She's with your brothers?"

Cady nodded and smoothed the skirt of her dress over her legs.

Keith kissed her on the top of her silky head.  They weren't too sure how Cady was going to react when the babies were born, but she turned out to be a great big sister.  She loved her brothers, always wanting to kiss them or pat their backs.  There had been some jealousy at first, Allura had been a bit overwhelmed when the twins had been born, even with Keith and Nanny helping, and Cady sometimes felt a little left out and would cry for her mother, not wanting anything to do with Keith.  He tried not to take it personally, but it had stung a little. 

"You know it's Christmas?"

She nodded, "Ho, ho, ho."

"Yup," he tugged gently on a loose curl.  "Santa came last night.  Do you know what that means?"

She nodded again, not knowing what he meant but wanting to make him happy.

"Presents."

Cady looked up at him and gasped, "Pesents?"

"Yup."

"Pesents now?"

"We have to wait for Mommy and the boys."

Cady scooted to the edge of the big bed and jumped to her feet.  She ran half way across the room before turning back and grabbing her teddy bear.  "I get Mama."  

Keith pushed the blankets back, "Okay, Cady Bear."  He followed her out of their room and into the one next door.

He stood in the open doorway of the boy's room and took in the scene before him.  Declan was dressed and strapped into the bouncer on the floor beside the changing table while Allura stood at the changing table dressing Gideon.  Cady stood on her toes beside her mother gently smoothing Gideon's dark hair with her hand.

"Pesents Mama."  Cady said.

"I know, Santa brought you presents."

"Go get dem?"

"Did you wake up Daddy?"

"Yes."

"Well, when everyone is dressed, we'll go and see what Santa brought.  But we have to wait for everyone else to get up before you open them."

"I go wake dem."

Allura laughed as she closed the snaps on Gideon's onesie, "No, sweetie, we wait for them to get up.  It won't be long."

Keith wondered if his father ever did this, just watched his wife and their children.  They were all so beautiful.  Allura was dressed in a red and green plaid skirt, similar to Cady's dress, and a white blouse.  The necklace he had given her the night before hung around her throat, catching the light.  

Allura lifted Gideon off the table and turned.  Keith was leaning on the door jam, his arms were crossed over his bare chest and a slight smile on his lips.  "Merry Christmas, Keith."  
  


"Merry Christmas, beautiful," he walked over and kissed her gently.  "You amaze me."

She raised her eyebrows, "What?"

"You're up and dressed, and you look unbelievably gorgeous by the way, and you have all three kids dressed.  Why didn't you wake me?  I would've helped."

"I know, sweetie," Allura kissed him on the cheek.  "But I don't mind.  You were sleeping so peacefully and, well, to be honest, I really like these quiet early morning moments with my babies."

She watched his eyes darken with emotion before he cupped the back of her head and kissed her in such a way that she knew he forgot Cady was standing beside them. 

"Daddy, go dress," Cady pushed his leg.

"What?"  He looked down at her.

"I told her we'd go see what Santa brought after everyone got dressed," Allura explained.

"Okay, I'll go grab a quick shower," he kissed Allura again and ran a hand over Cady's hair.

When he walked out of the bathroom fifteen minutes later, he saw the party had moved into their room.  Declan and Gideon were both strapped into their bouncers and sitting in the center of the bed.  Cady sat in front of them with her teddy bear talking to them, but only making sense to herself.  Allura was sitting at her vanity and was just finishing putting her hair up into an elaborate twist, a few wisps of hair falling around her face.

Keith sat down beside Cady and stroked a gentle finger down Gideon's face.  The little boy grasped his finger and tried to stuff it into his mouth.

"Daddy, pesents."  

"You have a one track mind, little girl," he dropped a kiss on the top of Cady's head.

"You ready to go?"  Allura stood and fastened her earring.

"Yes!"  Cady stood and held her arms up to Allura.

"Ready for presents?"  Allura asked as she lifted Cady onto her hip.

"Pitty, Mama," Cady grasped the heart pendant in her hand.

Keith stood and pried her tiny fingers from it, "You see these shiny stones?"

Cady nodded.

"Well that one is the Cady diamond," he pointed to the top one.

"And dat one?" She pointed to the next one.

"That's the Declan diamond and that one is the Gideon diamond."

"Pitty," she looked up at her father.  "Pesents?"

"Alright, alright," Keith turned and picked up the boys' bouncers by the handles and turned toward the door.  "Let's go see what Santa brought."

********************************************************

Lance's eyes flew open.  He turned to the clock and saw that it was almost six in the morning.  Darcy was beside him, sleeping peacefully, enjoying the little extra time Schuyler seemed to be giving them.  But it was Christmas morning!  He covered her face with soft, rapid fire kisses until her eyes opened.

"Merry Christmas my beautiful, sexy wife," he declared excitedly.

Darcy waved him away and turned her face into the pillow.

"Come on, Darcy, its Christmas morning!" He started bouncing up and down on the bed.  "Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!"

"I swear," Darcy growled.  "If this is what Schuyler is going to be like in a few years I'm going to sell her to the gypsies."

"My parents tried that, the gypsies brought me back three days later and demanded a refund as well as a larger amount for emotional distress and work lost."

She turned her face into the pillow to muffle her laugh.

"Come on!  It's our baby girl's first Christmas, let's make it count."

"Okay, okay," Darcy rolled over and smiled at him.  "You go get her while I grab a shower and get dressed."

"Well, hurry up," he jumped out of bed and grabbed a pair of pajama pants, pulling them on.  "There are presents to open and pictures to take."

"Her dress is hanging on the side of the changing table," she told him as she grabbed her clothes and headed for the bathroom.

"Don't worry, babe, I'll let you dress her," Lance called over his shoulder as he entered the nursery.

When Darcy walked into the nursery a little while later, she saw that he had been kind enough to put a clean diaper on Schuyler, but that was all.

"Wow," Lance whistled as she walked into the room.

"Why thank you," she twirled in front of him.  She wore a full red skirt that feel to her knees and a white blouse.

He stood and ran his gaze appreciatively over her, from head to feet, lingering on her legs.  "You look hot!"

She gave him a quick kiss, "Go get dressed, Lance, so we can see what Santa brought."

"I'm going," he grabbed her by the hips and pulled her against him.  "But watch for the mistletoe, I may have to ravage you."

"If I'd've known that, I would have hung mistletoe all over the castle."

A low growl escaped his lips as he leaned down to kiss her.

"Go, go, lets not make everyone wait for us."  Darcy pushed him toward their room and turned to scoop Schuyler up off the floor.  It had taken twenty minutes for Darcy to shower, get dressed, and do her hair and in that time, Lance had managed to take out almost every toy their daughter owned and spread them all over the floor.

"What are we going to do about your Daddy?"  She asked her daughter as she set her on the changing table.  "He's just a big kid himself, isn't he?"

Schuyler looked back at her with wide, brown eyes, her fist in her mouth.

"You're getting so big," Darcy sighed.  "You're Mommy's big girl, aren't you?"  She went about tugging tights onto Schuyler's chubby little legs.  "You're going to be a tall girl, Sky, your Daddy is 6'1" and Mommy is 5'10", the genes are in your favor."  Darcy picked up the white dress she had bought on a whim.  It had a red and green sash that tied in a bow on the back of the dress and red ribbons bows on the cuffs.  "But then your Aunt Becca is 5'7" and Aunt Leslie is only about 5'4", so who knows?  Maybe you'll be Mommy's little girl forever."  

Schuyler watched her silently.  Darcy often wondered if she should worry about how quiet Schuyler was.  She would sometimes babble and she had picked up the words 'hi', 'my', 'ba-ba', and even 'da-da', but very little else.  Cady had always been a talkative baby, even before she knew any real words.  Darcy knew she shouldn't compare, but Schuyler was such a quiet child.  She hardly ever cried and she would watch you intensely when you spoke to her, almost as though she understood every word you said.  Darcy usually kept up a running monologue when she was changing Schuyler or playing with her, hoping she would pick up on the words she said.

"You're so pretty!"  Darcy tied the bow in the back and ran the soft brush through Schuyler's dark hair.  "Mommy's pretty little girl."  

"Ma."   

Darcy stopped, the brush in midair, "What did you say?"

Schuyler looked at her.

"Come on, baby, say it again, Mama.  Come on, Mama."

Schuyler opened and closed her mouth a few times before whispering, "Ma."

Darcy screamed, "Lance!  Lance!  Come here quick!"

She heard him running, hitting the bedside table, swearing, and then running full force into the nursery, a look of concern on his face.  "What is it? What happened?"

Darcy picked up Schuyler and held in front of Lance, "Say it again, Schuyler, say Mama.  Come on, maaa maaa."

"Ma.  Ma."

"She said Mama!"  Darcy bounced up and down excitedly, hugging Schuyler.  "She said it!"

Lance grinned, taking Schuyler from his bouncing wife and kissing her on the forehead, "What a smart little girl!  Good girl."

Schuyler was loving all the attention and she laughed, clapping her hands.  "Ma! Ma!"

"Did you hear that?"  Darcy cried, "She said it again."

"Yes, I heard," Lance smiled at her.  "Merry Christmas, Darcy."

Darcy stopped bouncing, her hands clasped in front of her.  "You did this?"

"No, I'm pretty sure Schuyler said it."

"You were coaching her earlier, weren't you?"

"We've both been coaching her, Darc, I think she just has my flair for dramatics and she knew that this would be the best day to say it."

She leaned over and kissed him, hard, "I love you."

"I love you, too, honey, come on," he slung an arm around her shoulder.  "Let's go see what Santa brought."

"Give me my daughter," Darcy held her hands out.  "Say it again, baby, say Mama."

"Don't pressure her," Lance teased as they headed out to the hall.

"Hey, she's been saying Dada for a couple of months now, let me have this."  
  


"Yeah, but she didn't know what she was saying, she was just making noises."

"That's not what you said the first time she said it."

Lance looked down at his daughter, "Say Dada, Sky."

She tilted her head and looked at him.

"Dada.  Come on, Daaa daaa.  Come on, Sky, Dada."

Darcy leaned down and whispered in Schuyler's ear.

"Mama!"  The little girl cried, clapping her hands.

"Yeah, well, we'll see what you're saying when you see the boring clothes Mommy bought you and the cool toys Daddy bought you."

"You're bribing her?"  Darcy asked, incredulously.

"Good morning!  Merry Christmas!"

Lance and Darcy looked up to see her parents coming down the hall towards them.

"Merry Christmas," Lance hugged Lucy and shook hands with Howard.

"Mom!  Schuyler said Mama!"  Darcy said, excitedly.

"She did?  What a good girl!"  Lucy kissed Schuyler's cheek.

"Say Mama, Sky," Darcy bounced the baby on her hip.  In response, Schuyler buried her face in Darcy's shoulder.  "So you're going to make me look like a liar," Darcy teased, tickling the little girl."

"I believe you," Lucy said, hugging her.  "When she wants to say it again, she will."  
  


"Is anyone else up?"  Lance asked.

"We're on our way to the rec room," Lucy told them.

Darcy nuzzled Schuyler's neck, trying to get her to lift her head as they followed her parents to the rec room.

"Wow," Lance stopped short, causing Darcy to run into him.

Keith and Allura were already in the rec room with their three children, Keith holding Cady so she didn't run to the tree and rip open every present.  Isabelle and Nanny sat on the sofa sipping from cups of coffee, while Felix loaded some Christmas music into the stereo and Molly took a picture of the lit Christmas tree and the pile of presents underneath.  A fire roared in the fireplace and the coffee table was laden with slices of coffee cake, a tea pot and coffee pot, a pitcher of milk, and a plate of muffins.

"Mistletoe!"  Allura grinned at Lance and Darcy where they had stopped in the doorway.

They both looked up and saw the small clutch of green leaves.

Lance smiled at her, "Can't ignore the tradition."

"Okay, but lets not give them a show," she whispered back.

Lance carefully lifted Schuyler out of her arms and set her on the floor.  He wrapped one arm around her waist and brought the other hand up to her hair.  Dipping her as far back as he could, Lance brought his mouth down on hers in a soft, drawn out kiss.  Darcy clutched the back of his shirt to keep her balance, but she knew he would never let her fall.

Molly, Felix, Allura, Lucy, and Cady all clapped while Keith whooped and catcalled.

Lance lifted his head and grinned down at her.

"Showoff," she whispered, smiling.

"When you got it, flaunt it."  He stood upright and twirled her away from him.

"Pesents!" Cady yelled.

"No, Cady, we still have to wait for Koran and Becca and Pidge."  Keith told her.

"Where are they?"  Lance bent down and picked Schuyler up, tossing her in the air and catching her.  "It's late."

"It's only 6:30," Darcy pointed out, sitting beside Allura.  "Schuyler said Mama this morning."  
  


"She did?"  Allura grinned at her.  "It's a great feeling, isn't it?"

"Yeah."

"But it's 6:30 on Christmas morning," Lance whined.  "That's late."

Lucy stood, "I'll get Becca."

Darcy looked around, "Uh, no, Ma, you stay here, I'll get Becca."

"It's not a problem," her mother insisted.  
  
"No, here," Darcy took Schuyler from Lance and handed her to her mother.  "You watch Schuyler, I'll get Becca and Lance will get Pidge."

"But…" Lance started.

Darcy glared at him, "You go get Pidge and I'll get Becca, I'm sure Koran will be here in a moment and then we can open presents."

"Oh," Lance nodded, suddenly getting it. "Okay.  Yeah, I want to get on with this present thing."  
  


"We'll be right back," Darcy called over her shoulder.

*****************************************************

Pidge watched as Becca slept.  At some point in the night she had grabbed his sweater and pulled it on.  She was curled up with her head on his chest and her hand lightly fisted, resting over his heart.  

He had wakened twenty minutes earlier, but was in no rush to go anywhere.  His hand gently stroked her mussed hair and he smiled as she sighed in her sleep.  This was the life.  Unfortunately, it wasn't going to last.  She was heading back to Terra in a week, the day after New Years.  Pidge unconsciously tightened his arm around her.   He didn't want her to go, but he was going to smile and kiss her goodbye and come back into the castle, alone.  

Pidge sighed and watched as she shifted, flattening her hand on his chest.  

What was really keeping him here?  His friends?  A sense of duty?  He loved the Force and he loved Arus, but he didn't really have family here.  He could go back to Terra with her, find work there.  Maybe the Garrison would take him back.  If he had a letter of recommendation from Keith, he was pretty much guaranteed a spot with them.  Or he could find a job outside the military.  He had money saved up, he didn't have to hurry.  And if Becca still wanted to come back and intern with Dr. Gorma, they could come back together, then.  It was perfect.  He would follow her to Terra and come back with her later.

Becca's eyelids fluttered and opened slowly.  It took her a moment to focus, first thing she saw was Pidge's chest and the light hair covering it.  With a slight smile playing across her lips, she rolled over and stretched.  "G'morning."

"Morning."

"You okay?"

"Yeah, why?"

"It's Christmas morning and you're lying there like a dead fish.  Come on!  Presents."

Smiling, Pidge rolled over onto his side, "I've been thinking."

  
"About what?"

He traced his finger down the side of her face and down under her chin, tipping her head back and kissing her.  "About us."

"And?"

"I was thinking…" Pidge stopped, suddenly feeling nervous.  What if she didn't want him to go to Terra with her?    What if she thought he was pressuring her too much or he was smothering her?

"Pidge?"

"I was, uh, I was thinking, maybe, that I would come back to Terra with you."

"Really?"  Her face lit up.  "For how long?  I mean, school doesn't start for a couple of days after I get back, I can take you to the campus and show you around and introduce you to my friends.  Will Keith let you come?  It is short notice."  
  


"No, Becca, I was thinking I would go back to Terra, permanently."

She furrowed her brow, thinking for a moment.  "But, you can't.  What about your job here?  What about the Force?"

"Caleb can take over the computer work and there are enough people here to take over flying…flying Green."  He had forgotten about Green, he wouldn't be able to fly her anymore.

"That's a huge decision," Becca said, brushing the hair back from his face and cupping his cheek.  "You need to think about it some more.  They need you here."

"There is no more major threat, I only stayed because I didn't have anywhere else to go.  Now, I can go to Terra, find work there, be with you."

"That isn't the only reason you stayed, what about your friends?"

"My life has changed, my priorities have changed."

She studied him, seeing how serious he was.  "This is huge, Pidge, I think you need to take some time to think about it and…"  She stopped when there was a knock on the door.

Pidge stiffened and looked at the clock, it was 6:43.

Very slowly, Becca pushed the covers back and called, "Who is it?"

"Rebecca!"  A deep voice answered.

She crept to the door, her heart racing, "Dad?"

Someone on the other side giggled.

"Lance is that you?  Darcy?"

"Yeah it's us, we were wondering if you'd seen Pidge, he's not in his room," Darcy called through the door.

"What's going on?"

"Everyone's up and we want to open presents, but Allura won't let us until everyone is in the rec room."  
  


"Okay, we'll be right there."

"Don't you mean _I'll_ be right there?"  Lance teased.

"Yeah, whatever.  Give us, I mean _me, ten minutes."_

"Alright, hurry up!"

Becca turned back to the bed where Pidge was sitting up, watching her.  "Looks like we're holding them up."

"I don't care," he muttered, watching her.  The dark brown sweater she wore barely covered her and the sleeves were longer than her arms.  She had no idea how beautiful and sexy she was.

"Go get dressed," she sat on the edge of the bed.  "But we're not done talking about this.  I don't want you to make a rash decision because of me."

"Would it really be a bad thing if we didn't show up?"  He asked, toying with the edge of the sweater.

"Yes, it would, it's Christmas."

He raised an eyebrow, "I need my sweater back."

She laughed, "Just go before Lance sends my father after us."

**********************************************************

Becca walked into the rec room fifteen minutes later, the last to arrive.  

"Finally!"  Lance declared.

"Now, one at a time," Allura said, getting up and sitting beside the tree.

"Oh come on," Lance whined. 

"Don't make me pull rank on you," she warned him.

Slowly and with a lot of laughter and teasing, they worked their way through the pile of gifts under the tree.

"Oh, Pidge, this is great, thanks," Lance opened the photo album Pidge had bought.

"Whoa, Keith, Allura this is awesome," Pidge said as he opened the book on computer animation they had given him.

The piles of baby clothes and toys grew with each new package opened.  Cady was overwhelmed and having the time of her life while Schuyler spent more time playing with the wrapping paper than any gift she had been given.

It took them nearly an hour and a half, opening presents one at a time and 'oohhing' and 'ahhing'.  Schyler crawled over to her mother and climbed into her lap.  Cady ran around, her teddy bear in one hand and a new pink dress in the other.  Declan watched the whole scene with wide eyed wonderment as Gideon dissolved into tears.  Isabelle picked the little boy up and cradled him to her.

"Is that everything?"  Keith asked.

Lance and Allura dug through the discarded paper.

"Looks like it," Lance said, feeling a little hurt that neither he nor Darcy or Schuyler had received anything from Keith and Allura.  Especially after the toys and clothes they had bought their babies and the picnic basket loaded with enough crystal and china for a romantic picnic for two.

Allura looked at Keith, "There has to be one more, what did you do with it?"

"Hmmm," he rubbed his chin, thoughtfully.  "I don't really remember."  
  


"Keith," she smiled at him.

"Okay," he stood.  "I think I know where it is."

"Lance, Darcy, I hope you don't mind, but Keith and I took the initiative and bought you something for your new home.  I know you've been hinting around about it, Lance." Allura explained as Keith left the room.

Lance looked at her, confused, trying to think of what it could be, "What do you mean?"

She winked at him, "You'll see."

Becca smiled at Pidge, enjoying the fact that they were in on the secret, and laid her head on his shoulder.  At that moment, he knew he needed to talk to Keith as soon as possible.

  
"Merry Christmas!"  Keith entered the room, carrying a large box and dangling a big gift bag from his hand.

Lance's eyes widened, "What is it?"

Grinning, Keith set it down beside the tree, "Come see."

Lance looked at Darcy and stood, offering her a hand to help her up.

  
"Oh wow!"  Lance cried, excited and touched.

Looking up at him from inside the box was a small bundle of golden fur, a big red ribbon tied around the puppy's neck.

"You got us a dog?"  Darcy asked.

"Yup, is, uh, is that okay?"  Allura asked, uncertainly.

"_Okay_?  This is awesome!"  Lance told her, lifting the puppy from the box.  It wiggled in his hands and licked his nose when he brought it close to his face.

Darcy felt her eyes moisten and she turned to hug Allura, "Thank you so much."  She turned to Keith, "You guys are unbelievable."

"There's more," Keith brought the gift bag over.  "Here's a collar and a leash, a food bowl, a bone and a couple of squeaky toys.

  
Schuyler turned her head, wiping her nose on her mother's shoulder before lifting her head and looking at her mother.

"Look, Sky," Lance held the puppy up in front of her.  "A puppy dog."

Schuyler reached out with a hesitant hand and touched the soft fur.

"The breeder said these dogs are great with kids," Keith said.

  
Lance set the puppy on the floor and turned to hug his best friend, catching Keith off guard.  "Thank you so much, man, this is awesome."  He turned and hugged Allura tightly.  "You have no idea how much we appreciate this."  
  


*************************************************

All the wrapping paper had been cleaned up and all the gifts piled back under the tree.  Schuyler was sitting on Lance's lap, gently patting the puppy.  Everyone else was relaxing on various chairs and couches, giving in to the lull that comes after all the presents are opened and before the big meal.  Chatter was light and fun, reminiscing about Christmases past and bad presents.

"You realize, don't you," Keith whispered to Allura.  "We're going to have to get Cady a dog now too."

She looked up and saw Cady sitting next to Lance where he was showing her how to gently pet the puppy.  "We'll see."

"Please?"

She smiled up at him, "Maybe after Lance and Darcy move out, I think two dogs would be too much."

Pidge watched everyone around him.  He was sitting on the loveseat, Becca beside him, and his arm across the back of the couch.  Without realizing it, he picked up a lock of her hair and twirled it between his fingers.  He had been quiet most of the morning, thinking about his decision and going over the pros and cons in his mind, but it seemed like all signs pointed to him to go to Terra.  Was that the right thing to do?  He wasn't sure who he should talk to about this.  Becca said they would talk about it some more later.  And he had to talk to Keith about it.  

Pidge had just figured he would settle on Arus.  He hadn't had anywhere else to go and he had been here for eight years, the longest he had ever been settled anywhere and he loved this planet.  They had done so much; fighting for Arus and its people, helping to rebuild the towns.  When you were that involved with a place, you found yourself emotionally tied to it. 

Tonight after dinner, Pidge decided, he was going to take Keith aside and talk to him.  If he was going to go to Terra, he needed to get his affairs in order as soon as possible.


	10. Talking And More Decisions

RedLion2 ~ Thank you so much for your support and reviews!  I'm not going to give you too many hints about my K&A story, but it will follow the series…sort of…in a way… ;-) 

Bell ~ Thanks for your reviews!  

I really do appreciate all the time and effort you guys put into reading and reviewing.  This story, like my others, is taking on a life of my own and I hope you continue to enjoy it. 

Enjoy!  
Failte

*************************************************

Keith looked down and smiled.  Cady was curled up underneath the Christmas tree, her head resting on a folded dress his mother had given her and she clutched her teddy bear, sound asleep.  Allura gently laid an afghan over her and walked over to sit beside him on the couch.

"Koran said the roads are still closed," she told him.  "We're not going to get to the orphanage today."

"When are we going to go?"  Darcy asked.

Allura shrugged, "As soon as the roads are clear, Koran is going to call the matron of the orphanage and see what she has to say.  The kids are going to be so disappointed."

Keith smiled at her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder, "They'll be fine, this is the first Christmas in five years that we haven't been able to make it, but we'll make it up to them."

"Are you going to leave the Princess there?"  Nanny asked, shocked at what she saw as she entered the room.

"She's fine," Allura looked down at her daughter.  "I don't want to disturb her and besides, she'll love waking up by the tree."

It was mid afternoon on Christmas day.  Usually the Force would be down at the orphanage, meeting with the children and handing out small gifts, but the blizzard had them snowed-in in the castle and Hunk snowed-in with Paton and her family.  

A fire crackled and warmed the rec room where Cady slept on the floor and Keith and Allura cuddled on the couch, the boys having just been put down for a nap.  Darcy was sitting on the floor, Lance was asleep with his head in her lap, Schuyler asleep on his chest and their new, yet-to-be-named, puppy curled up next to them.  Howard and Felix sat back on the other couch talking quietly.  Nanny picked up the last plate left over from their breakfast and returned to the kitchen where she was putting the finishing touches on their dinner, with the help of Lucy, Molly, and Isabelle.  Pidge had disappeared a little while ago, followed soon after by Becca.

"Did you notice how quiet Pidge was?"  Allura asked.

"I did," Darcy said, idly combing her fingers through Lance's hair.  "He seemed rather down."

Keith sighed, "He gets like that sometimes during the holidays, he misses his family."

"Really?"  Darcy seemed surprised.  "He never really mentions them, well, except for Chip."

"He doesn't like to talk about them."

"Becca's been good for him," Allura commented.  "She'll snap him out of it."

**************************************************************

Becca wandered into the Observation Deck.  Pidge had slipped quietly out of the rec room and when he didn't come back after a few minutes, she went looking for him.  He wasn't in his room or Castle Control, so she found her way to the Observation Deck.

Pidge sat with his elbows on his knees and his chin in his hand as he looked out the window, watching the snow blow around.

"Do you want to be alone?"  Becca whispered.

He shook his head.

She crossed over and sat on the arm of the over stuffed chair he occupied.  They sat in silence and watched the wind whip up the snow.  Becca laid her hand on his back, rubbing gentle circles.  She was dying to know what he was thinking, but wasn't sure how to get him to talk.

With a sigh, he sat back, trapping her hand between his back and the back of the chair.  She slid off the chair's arm and onto his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her cheek against his shoulder.  He loosely wrapped his arms around her and tilted his head so it rested on hers.

"I'm going to talk to Keith tonight."  His voice was low when he spoke.

"What about?"

"You know what."

She lifted her head and looked at him, "Are you sure?"  
  


"I think so."

"You_ think_ so?"

He looked up at her, "I've been going over this in my mind.  I want to be with you, Rebecca."

Smiling softly, she cupped his cheek with her hand, "I want to be with you too, but I don't want you to do it at the expense of your friends and your career.  This is your home, Pidge, are you sure you want to leave it?"

"My home is where you are," he whispered.

Becca felt her heart flip and a pleasant warmth filled her.  "What would you do?  For work, I mean."

"I could apply to the Garrison and see what they have to offer or I can look around and see what I can find in the area."  He rubbed her back as she leaned against him.  "What do you think about this, Becca?  Be honest."  
  


She chewed on her lip, choosing her words carefully.  "I want you to be happy, Pidge.  I don't want you to do this on the fly and then regret it later, end up resenting me…"

"That won't happen," he assured her.

"And, well, as much as I want you around, I will be very busy with schoolwork.  I don't want you to think I'm ignoring you, but I won't have a lot of free time.  What would you do?  Your friends are here.  I don't want you to be lonely."

He nodded and shifted his gaze back to the window.  He knew she would be busy, classes all week and studying.  The last thing he wanted was to get in the way.

"Honey," she took his face in her hands and forced him to look at her.  "If this was truly what you wanted, would it really be this hard a decision to make?"  
  


"I feel like I'm being torn in two," he whispered.  "For every reason I can come up with for going to Terra, I can come up with one for staying here."

"I hate seeing you like this," she told him, dropping her hands.  "I want you to do whatever makes you happiest."

Pidge nodded, lowering his head to her shoulder and hugging her to him.

"Maybe you should talk to Keith," Becca whispered.  "Maybe he can help you work this out."

"What about you?"  He asked her.

"This is a decision you have to make, Pidge."

"I know that, but I want your input."

"I love you so much and I want to be with you, but I don't want you to make a rash decision about something this big.  More than anything, I want you to do what makes you happy, I know that isn't what you want to hear, but I can't make this decision for you."

Pidge lifted his head and studied her, noticing the conflicted expression on her face.  "You have what, two and a half more years?"

  
"Then I start my residency."

"You'll do it here?"

She nodded, "I've spoken to my advisor and she said we can work it out."

"It's a lot of hard work."

Becca nodded again.

"I don't want to get in the way."

"You won't Pidge, you're very important to me.  You don't get in the way of my life, you add so much to it."

"I'm happiest here, with you."  He admitted, quietly.

She pursed her lips and looked away.  
  
"I'm not asking you to stop attending school, I'm just being honest."

"I know."

Pidge brought his hands up and rubbed his face, "I shouldn't have said anything about this to you."

"No, Pidge," she looked at him.  "We need to be able to talk about things like this."

"But we're just going around in circles."

"When we factor in my summer vacations and the trips you're planning to Terra, two and a half years won't seem so bad."

"So you don't want me to move to Terra?"

"I think you're happy here, your friends have become your family and you love your job. I'm afraid the only reason you would come to Terra is because of me and you can't do that.  You have to make decisions like this for yourself."

He leaned back against the chair and looked up at her.  "All you do is complicate my life," he teased quietly.

Becca smiled, "Yeah, like you would have it any other way."

"No," he cupped the back of her head. "No I wouldn't."  He pulled her closer, capturing her lips with his.

"I love you," Becca whispered against his lips.  "And I will continue to, whether you live in the same town or a few million miles away."

"This distance is killing me," he said, laying his forehead against hers.  

"I know," she closed her eyes and concentrated on how good it felt to have his arms around her.

"But I can deal with it for you."

"For us," she whispered.

***********************************************************************

"Chester."

"What?  Is he a nerd dog?"

"Max?"

"Too common."  
  


"Buster."  
  


"Buddy."

"Duke."

"Shadow."

"Homer."

Lance sat on the floor, watching his new puppy lay on it's back while Cady petted his stomach and listened to the various names the rest of the gang was suggesting and shooting them down.

"Well, then you come up with something," Darcy rested her chin on his shoulder.

"I'm thinking."

The puppy struggled to get his feet under him and stood, nipping at Cady's dress.

"Nipper."  Felix suggested.

"Nah, that's the kind of name he'd outgrow, it's cute for a puppy, but not for a full grown dog."

Darcy reached over and picked the puppy up, bringing him to eye level, studying him.  He tilted his golden head, his tongue lolling to the side.  "Hmmm," she murmured.  "Bailey?"

"We'll put that in the maybe pile," he told her.

"Is this going to be as complicated as it was when you two were coming up with a name for Schuyler?"  Keith asked.

"Hey, names are very important, whether it's your dog or your child, you can't take this responsibility too lightly," Lance retorted.

"Yeah, but how many Star Wars names can you come up with for the puppy," Darcy quipped.

Lance snapped his fingers, "That's it!"  
  


"What?"  Allura asked.

Lance took the wriggling dog from his wife and held it up in front of him, "Chewy."

Darcy smiled, "Chewy?  As in Chewbacca?"

"Yeah, come on, it's perfect!"  Lance held the puppy in front of Schuyler who was sitting beside him, playing with the elaborate baby gym his parents had bought her and he had just finished putting together.  "Sky, should we call the puppy Chewy?"

Schuyler reached out with a little hand and bopped the dog on the nose.

"Alright, Chewy it is."  Lance announced.

"Chewbacca Collier," Darcy said, trying it out.  "You know, I had horrible visions of you naming our baby that if she had been a boy."

"No, if she had been a boy, he would have been Luke Akbar Collier."

She kissed his cheek, "Never."

"And that is why Lance is not allowed to help us name any of our children," Allura told Isabelle.

"Oh, are you having more?"  Molly asked.

"Not any time in the near future," Allura replied, picking Cady up and settling her on her lap.

Pidge and Becca walked into the room, hand in hand, and found seats on the floor.

"What do you think, Pidge?"  Lance asked, setting the puppy on the floor.  "Meet Chewbacca."  
  


Pidge laughed.  "You named that cute little mutt, Chewbacca?"

"Or Chewy for short."

Pidge watched as Chewy tripped over his ear and stumbled forward. "Works for me."

Becca sat beside her niece and helped her feed the balls into the chute that shot them through a winding, see-through pipe.  "Can you say Chewy, Schuyler?  Chewy."

Schuyler looked up at her aunt and studied her a moment.

"Come on, Chewy. Cheeeewwwwyyy."

"Mama."  

Darcy dove across Lance's lap and kissed Schuyler's cheek, "That's my girl.  Say it again, baby, say it to me this time.  Mama.  Maaaamaaa."

"Mama." 

Darcy cupped the little face in her hands and kissed her all over her face, "That's my girl!"

"Okay, honey," Lance patted her back.  "Um, this isn't very comfortable."

"Quiet, Lance, I'm bonding with my daughter, here."

In retaliation, Lance dug his fingers into her ribs, tickling her.  Darcy squirmed and laughed, pinching his leg.

"Ahem."

At the sound of her father clearing his throat, Darcy sat upright and straightened her skirt, blushing slightly.  Lance just grinned.

Nanny appeared in the doorway, "Dinner is ready."

"Oh," Isabelle stood.  "Edina, I thought you were going to come and get us so we could help you set the table."

"Bah, it's Christmas, you should be with the children."  Nanny waved her off.

"Nan!"  Cady ran to the older woman.  "Woof woof."  
  


"Yes, I know," Nanny rolled her eyes and took the little girl's hand.  "A dog.  In the castle."

Lance set Chewy back in the large box where they had set his water bowl and rawhide bone, "Don't listen to her, Chewy, we're glad you're here."

The table was elaborately set with a huge spiral cut ham and all the trimmings.  Enough food to feed the army and half of Alforia.  

"Oh, you have out done yourself!"  Allura gasped.

"Yes, Nanny, this amazing," Keith told her.

"I had a lot of help," Nanny said.

"Alright," Lance pushed his way in.  "Enough complimenting, more eating."

"Lance!"  Molly and Darcy reprimanded.

"Oh geez, I married my mother," he muttered, falling into a chair.

Felix chuckled.

Allura settled at the head of the table with Cady to her left and Keith on her right.  She raised her glass in the air, "I wanted to thank you all for coming and sharing this wonderful holiday with us.  Christmas is so much more special when family is here to share it with us.  So here is to another year of happiness, health, and good fortune!"

"Hear, hear!"

*******************************************************

As night drew close, the children were put to bed and the adults went their separate ways.  Felix, Howard, and Koran had disappeared somewhere, Allura suspected it had something to do with the collection of cigars Koran had hidden in his suite of rooms.  Isabelle and Nanny had volunteered, well, they didn't really give Allura and Keith an option when they took the babies up to bed.

Darcy watched as her mother and mother-in-law left the rec room, Lucy carrying Schuyler.  She knew she was lucky that they got along so well.  Right after she and Lance had announced to their parents that they were getting married and expecting the baby, Molly called Lucy and they struck up a friendship.  Smiling, she cuddled up to Lance who was sitting beside her, playing tug-of-war with Chewy.

Still pulling on the knotted piece of rope, Lance turned his head and kissed her. 

"Merry Christmas," she whispered, resting her chin on his shoulder and reaching around him to scratch Chewy's head.

"Yeah, it's been a good one, huh?"

"Mm hm," she agreed.

"Would you two get a room," Pidge teased.  He was flipping through the movie disks, trying to find a funny movie.

"Just put a movie in," Lance told him.

"_A Christmas Story_?"  Pidge held up a disk.

"Yeah, we haven't seen that in a while," Keith spoke up.

"Nah," Lance looked up.  "I'm in more of a _Christmas Vacation_ kind of mood."

"Oh yes," Allura agreed.  "_Christmas Vacation_."

Keith smiled at her, "Honey, not all men on Terra are as insane as Clark Griswold."

"True, you live on Arus," Pidge muttered.

"I heard that, Lieutenant." 

"I've never seen it," Becca spoke up from where she sat on the loveseat.

"Then you're in for a treat," Pidge told her as he crossed the room to sit next to her.  He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her to him.  With her head on his shoulder, he breathed in the warm, vanilla scent she wore and it was a punch to his senses.  Maybe he needed to think some more about whether or not he would move to Terra.  Becca sighed contentedly and turned to wrap her arms around his middle and relaxed against him.  It just felt so _right and Pidge once again found himself feeling the pull to Terra._


	11. A Sudden Admission And Some Advice

Hi!

This is just a short little chapter to bridge the gap and bring us closer to the end.  

Thank you guys so much for your reviews.

RedLion2 ~ I _love_ Christmas Vacation, we watch it every year, at least a couple of times, and laugh hysterically as though it's the first time we saw it.  I had to throw it in there  :-)  And as for the guys trying to string up the Castle of  Lions in Christmas lights, well, that's just a great mental image.

Bell ~ Thanks for the review on my songfic, that really meant a lot to me.  I've been playing around with a couple of other one-shot songfics and I may have to post one or two.

Everyone else ~ Thank you so much!  I'm so happy to know you're enjoying the story!  
  
Thanks!  
Failte

********************************************************

It was a couple of days before the roads had cleared enough for Hunk to return to the castle and the Force to visit the orphanage.  As Arus was rebuilt and towns came to life, they all watched as the number of orphans in need of a home dwindled.  As people settled into homes and jobs, they found that they wanted to open their homes to the children of their lost friends and neighbors.

Keith, Lance, Pidge, Becca, Hunk, and Darcy were outside with a large group of children building snowmen and throwing snowballs while Allura met with the orphanage matron.  

"You're sure the funding is adequate?"  Allura asked as they walked through the kitchen where dinner was being prepared.

"Yes, Your Highness, we have enough for the children to be comfortable."  Dayle Domokos had been running a home for orphans in some way or another for years.  She was a pleasantly plump, middle aged woman who had lost her husband in the Doom Wars and was left to raise her two children alone.  When the people of Arus were living in the caves, she had taken it upon herself to gather all the children who had no one else and she worked on making sure they were educated and fed.  Dayle had become the unofficial mother of the entire town and she took that responsibility very seriously.  She was well respected and loved, but the children under her care knew better than to cross her or misbehave.  Now her son and daughter, both in their late teens, help her run the orphanage.

The current orphanage had been one of the first buildings built in Alforia, three stories high with half a dozen bedrooms, a library, a rec room, and a dining room.  There was a large fenced in backyard with a swing set and enough ground to play football or soccer.  Allura made sure they had enough money to cover food, clothing, and anything else they needed as well as paying for a cook and a couple of assistants for Dayle.

"Well, Dayle, if all goes as strongly as it has been, I hope to be able to adjust the budget so you should be getting about a twelve percent increase in funding," Allura told her as they made their way into the dining room.

"Oh, Your Highness, that would be wonderful.  I would love to be able to replace some of the older beds and the carpeting in the rec room."

Allura stopped, "Do you need new beds?"

"Not just yet, Ma'am, but within the year, I think we will."

"Let me know if there is ever anything you need for the children, I'll do whatever I can to make sure they get it."

Dayle smiled, "Thank you, Your Highness, that means so much to us to know you're so willing to help us.  I don't know how we could keep this up without you're help."

The two women stopped beside the large window that looked out over the backyard and watched as three of the younger children tackled Keith into the snow while the others exchanged snowball fire with other members of the Force.

  
"Your visits mean so much to the children," Dayle commented.

"It's our pleasure, we really enjoy the time we spend here."

"I know it's difficult for you to find time, especially with three little ones of your own."

Allura smiled softly at the mention of her children, "And when they're a little older, I'm sure they would enjoy coming down to play with the children here as well."

Dayle looked at the watch she had pinned to her blouse, "It is getting late, Your Highness, I think it's time we called the children in so they can get out of their wet clothes and wash up for dinner."

********************************************************

"Ahh!"  Keith yelled as he was tackled, face first, into the show.

"Take him down!"  Lance yelled as he lifted a boy into the air and tossed him into a tall drift.

"Be careful, Lance!"  Darcy shouted to him.  She and Becca were helping a few other children build a snowman.

"Are you in Voltron?"  A young girl with big brown eyes asked Becca.

"No," Becca crouched down beside her and pointed to Pidge.  "See that guy there?"

"That's Lt. Audric."  The girl promptly told her.

"Yup, and he's my boyfriend."

"Are you gonna marry him?"

Becca blushed and Darcy laughed behind her hand.

"Uh, well," Becca stood and brushed her hands off on her thighs.  "Maybe."

"Don't you want to?"  Another girl joined them, holding an old scarf for the snowman.

"I, uh, I think we need more snow for the, uh, for the head," she muttered.

"Lt. Audric!"  The little girl with the brown eyes stumbled through the snow towards Pidge.

"No!"  Becca took off after her.  "No, Mena, no!  Wait!"

But it was too late, Mena stumbled against Pidge and caught his arm.

"Hey, Mena," Pidge grinned down at her.  

  
"How come," Mena looked up at him seriously, clutching his arm with her mitten covered hands.  "You aren't gonna marry her?"  She pointed at Becca who was running toward them.

Pidge looked up at her, a smirk on his face and then looked back at Mena, "I never said I wasn't gonna marry her."

"But she said…"

"I didn't say anything, Pidge, I swear," Becca told him, her face red from the roots of her hair to the top of her turtleneck.

"I know, Mena's a troublemaker," Pidge patted the girl's head.  

"So are you gonna get married?"  Mena demanded to know, her hands on her hips.

"When we get married, you'll be the first to know," Pidge assured her.

"Okay," Mena nodded, looked at Pidge and then Becca, and then ran back to their snowman.

Becca stared at Pidge, her mouth hanging open.

"What?"  He asked her.

"You said _when_," she whispered.

He furrowed his brow, "What?"

"You said _when_ we get married."

"Yeah?"

"You think about us getting married?"

"Don't you?"

Becca felt a slight panic.  She loved him, madly, but she certainly wasn't ready to get married.  "I have a lot of school to go yet and, uh, and then my residency…"

"Becs," Pidge took her hands.  "Not right now, not next month, whenever you're ready.  All I ask is that you let me know as soon as you're ready because I don't want to wait any longer than necessary."

Everything disappeared around them as Becca studied his face, took in his sincere expression and intense eyes.  The sounds of the children laughing and running faded into the background and the rest of the Force evaporated into their surroundings.  She stepped closer and kissed him tenderly.

"Hey!"  The jumped apart when a snowball hit them, bringing reality crashing down around them.  "No hanky panky in front of the kids!"  Lance yelled.

A bell rang and they all turned to see Dayle standing in the doorway.  "It's time to come in, children, and wash up for dinner!"

******************************************************************

Pidge was finding it hard to sleep.  He was still thinking about what he should do.  Should he go or should he stay?  He looked down at Becca.  It was the fifth night in a row he had sneaked into her room, reveling in the joy of just laying next to her at night and waking beside her in the morning.

Becca was sound asleep, lying on her side with her back towards him.  Pidge toyed with the sleeve of the worn old t-shirt she had on, it was one of his old ones, faded gray with _Academy in cracked letters across the chest.  It fell to mid-thigh on her and was sexier than anything else he had ever seen her in.  _

His stomach gave a low rumble and he pushed back to covers to slide out of bed.

"Where ya goin'?"  Becca mumbled, feeling the mattress shift as he stood.

"I just want to grab a snack," he whispered, kissing her gently on the cheek.  "You want anything?"

"Mm mm," she shook her head.  "Hurry back."

He smiled softly, "I will."

Pidge was a little surprised to see the light on in the kitchen.  Hunk was sitting at the table eating a sandwich he had put together from leftover Christmas ham.

"Hey, buddy, what are you doing up?"  Hunk asked.

"I can't sleep and I'm more than a little hungry," Pidge told him, pulling open the door to the refrigeration unit.

"It was a lot of fun today, we should go to the orphanage more often."

"Yeah."

"You wanna talk about it?"

Pidge turned to look at the man who had been his best friend since they had landed on this planet and he suddenly felt the weight of his decision.  "Yeah, Hunk, I do."

"What's up?"

Pidge sat down at the table with a quickly made sandwich and a glass of juice, "I've been thinking about Becca and me.  I was thinking about, um, about resigning and moving to Terra with her."

Hunk's mouth fell open with disbelief, "Are you serious?"

"I don't know, man, I want to go with her but I want to stay here.  I don't know what to do.  I know she'll be back in two and a half years for her residency and I know we'll see each other between then, but it just doesn't seem to be enough."

"I don't think you should go," Hunk said earnestly.  "We need you here, Pidge.  You know the computer system better than anyone else and Green has grown attached to you.  Do you have any idea how hard it will be for her to accept another pilot the way she has accepted you?"

"I know."

"In the grand scheme of things two and a half years isn't that long and she'll be spending her summers here and you'll be out to Terra as often as you possibly can."

"I know."

"And she is going to be so busy with school work, she won't have that much time to spend with you."

"I know," Pidge sighed, poking at his sandwich.

"If you know all this, then why is it so hard a decision for you to make?"  Hunk asked.

Pidge looked at him.

"Because you're thinking with your, uh, hormones," Hunk said.

"It's deeper than that," Pidge said, defensively.

Hunk smiled at him, "I know it is, buddy, I'm not belittling your feelings."

"You have no idea what this is like, Hunk, Paton lives four miles away, not four million."

"And if she did I would probably be considering the same thing you are."

Pidge sighed deeply, "What do I do Hunk?"

"I can't tell you that, you have to decide that for yourself."

Pidge snorted, "You sound like Becca."

"You guys have talked about this?"

"Yeah."

"What did she have to say?"

"She said she wants me to do whatever makes me happiest and she's afraid I'm doing it for her, not myself and she's afraid I'll resent her if I go to Terra and I'm not happy."

Hunk raised his eyebrows, but didn't speak.

"What would make me happiest is if she was here.  I don't want to leave the best job I'll ever have and my friends."

"Then don't."

"But when I balance my job and you guys against Becca, well, I have to be honest Hunk, I'm leaning more towards Becca."

"As you should.  What would you do on Terra?"

"I could apply with the Garrison."

"They'd see your ability with computers and give you a desk job, not letting you fly."

"I hadn't thought of that."

"I'm going to be totally honest with you, Pidge," Hunk stood and put his plate in the sink.  "I don't think you should go.  As hard as it is to be this far from her, it isn't forever.  In the long run I think you'd be happier if you stayed here."

When the door slid shut behind Hunk, Pidge stood and crossed to where the calendar hung on the wall.  Becca's birthday was in two months, two weeks after Schuyler's.  He already had a week off to spend on Terra and he had already made plans, getting a suite in a fancy hotel in downtown Toronto for that weekend.  Dinner and a show.  Museums and shopping.  He had been researching Toronto on the computer and looking into everything they could do.  Then she'd be back in the summer and, as far as he knew, they were planning on coming back again for the holidays the following year.  

He couldn't just turn his back on the Force and all that he had done here.  It was his home and they were his family.  They did depend on him and even if he decided to resign, he couldn't just leave in six days, it would take longer than that to train someone to take over for him.  

Running his hand through his hair, Pidge left the kitchen and crept back to Becca's room, needing to be near her.  


	12. New Years Pt 1 A Ball And A Little Gues...

Keith stood in Castle Control going over the report the guard had just handed him.  It was a great feeling to look down at the typed paper and know that it was safe, there hadn't been an attack in ten months.  He would never let his guard down, who knew what evil lurked out there, but it was nice to know they had the freedom to go about their lives, rebuild the towns and even hold a New Years Ball the next night.

"Looks good, Sergeant," Keith handed the clipboard to the guard on duty.  "Let me know if anything happens, I'll be checking in later."

"Yes, sir," the young man saluted.

Keith returned his salute and turned to head toward the work room.  Pidge and Hunk had been going over the Lions, cleaning them and giving them a tune-up as needed.  It had not escaped his attention that the Green pilot had been quiet and brooding lately and he wanted to get to the bottom of Pidge's behavior.

"Hey, Cap, how're things going?"  Hunk greeted him.

"Good, Hunk, how're the Lions looking?"

"As good as ever," the big man said proudly.  "I think it might do them good, though, if we took them out for a run sometime soon."

"We'll have to do that after the New Year," Keith told him, his eyes scanning the work room where Red was lying.  "Have you seen Pidge?"

Hunk pointed with a wrench, "Red's cockpit."

"Thanks, man."  Keith crossed to the giant Lion and pulled himself up onto its head, crouching by the open hatch.

Pidge was sitting in the pilot's seat, running some routine tests through the on-board computer.

"Hey, Pidge, how's it going?"

Pidge looked up, "Good, Keith.  Red's looking good.  We've already gone over Yellow, Green, and Black.  We'll get to Blue next and be done in another hour."

"Uh huh," Keith nodded.  "How're _you_ doing?"

"I'm fine."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I don't know," the captain shrugged.  "You've seemed a little down lately."

Pidge turned back to the computer.  "I've had a lot on my mind, lately, but I've figured it out.  I'm just not looking forward to Becs leaving."

"I understand."

Pidge let out an angry sigh, "I am so sick of you guys saying that!  You and Hunk think you can sympathize with me, but you can't.  You're married to the woman you love, you share a home with her, I have to be millions of miles away from Becca.  How can you understand?"

"Okay, maybe I don't fully understand how hard it is to be so far away, but I understand you're feelings.  I am more than willing to work with you and help you get time off to visit Terra."

"Yeah, well, maybe visiting just isn't enough."

"What?"  Keith asked, surprised.

"Nothing," Pidge muttered.

"You aren't thinking of leaving, are you?"

"I was," he admitted.  "But I don't think that would work out."

"Pidge, I want you to know you are important to us and we do need you.  This is not something you need to take lightly."

"Don't lecture me, Keith."

"I'm not, Pidge, just know we need you."

"I have to finish my work, Captain," Pidge said shortly.

Keith nodded, "You know if you ever need to talk, you can come to me."

"I know."

Keith paused a moment, watching as Pidge went about his work.  He stood and climbed down the Lion.  Hunk gave him a weak smile as he passed.

*****************************************************

"Wow, Becca, where did you get that dress?"  Darcy gasped.

Becca twirled around in front of the mirror in Allura's room and grinned.  "I found it in a boutique downtown.  It looks alright?"

"You look great!  Pidge is going to flip out when he sees you."

"Or swallow his tongue," Allura smiled.

The three women had gathered in Allura's room to get ready for the New Year's Ball.  The party had been in the planning stages for well over a month and it was sure to be quite an event.  Friends, Cabinet members, and various members of the community had been invited and, of course, some members of the press.  Sven and Romelle, as well as Bandor, and Rankin and Paget had also been invited.  But, Romelle was eight months pregnant with their second child and not up for the flight and bad weather on both planets made traveling difficult.

"Has Dad seen it?"  Darcy asked.

"No," Becca turned around and looked over her shoulder into the mirror.  "I figure he won't make a scene at the Ball."  

It was an exquisite dress.  A full red skirt that shimmered as she walked, the bodice was beaded with a high neck that clasped behind her neck, but left her arms, shoulders, and back bare.  One of Allura's maids had helped her do her hair up, a few curls falling around her face.

Allura wore a sparkling silver gown that brushed the top of her feet and had a neckline that would have earned her a lecture from Nanny a few years earlier.  Her heels were high enough so that her eyes would be level with Keith's nose and she wore the necklace he had given her for Christmas.  Her hair was swept back on the sides with combs and a tiara was carefully placed in her golden head.  

Darcy wore a simple, black dress with a square neckline and cap sleeves, the skirt was full and had tulle underskirt that peeked below the hem.  Her hair was done back in an elaborate twist, giving her a sophisticated look and making her appear older than her twenty three years.

There was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?"  Allura called.

"Isabelle and Cady!"

Allura nodded to a maid who crossed the room and opened the door.

"Mama!"  Cady squealed, running to the vanity where Allura sat.

"Hi, baby," Allura scooped up the little girl and sat her on her lap.

"You girls look beautiful!"  Isabelle clutched her camera in her hands.

"So do you," Allura said over Cady's head.

Her mother-in-law wore an elegant, lilac skirt and jacket.  Keith had gotten his eyes from his mother, but Isabelle had dark red hair peppered with gray.  She was a very handsome woman.

"When do we head down?"  Becca asked, excitedly.

"The guests should start arriving at any moment now," Darcy told her.  "But the Force has to make their entrance followed by Keith and Allura."

"Pitty!"  Cady clapped her hands and giggled when Allura applied lipstick to the little girl's mouth.

"Just wait until Daddy sees you."

"Mo'!"  Cady demanded.

With a smile, Allura applied a little powder to her nose and blusher to her cheeks.

"Ach!  What are you doing?"  Nanny cried from the doorway.

"Playing dress up," Allura told her.

Darcy crossed the room and took Schuyler from Nanny's arms, "Hi there, Sky."

"We came to say goodnight before you headed down," Nanny explained.

Schuyler gripped her mother's locket in her hand and tried to stuff it in her mouth.

"Wow!  Would you look at this group of gorgeous women!"  Lance leaned on the door frame dressed in his tux.

"You like?"  Darcy spun in front of him, earning a shriek of laughter from Schuyler.

"You look incredible," he stepped closer, a gleam in his eyes.

"Oh, Lance," she sighed, brushing his jacket with her hand.  "You're covered in dog hair."

"It'll fall off," he said, taking Schuyler and giving Darcy a quick kiss.

"Daddy!"  Cady slid off Allura's lap and ran to Keith who had just entered the room.

Keith picked her up and held her at arm's length, not wanting to get any makeup on his tuxedo.  "Hi there, Cady Bear, you look so pretty."

"Pitty!"

"Come along, Princess, we need to wash your face," Nanny said.

Keith carefully kissed Cady on the head, "Good night, sweetie."

Allura followed his example giving Cady a kiss on the head, "Good night, baby."

Lance and Darcy took turns kissing Schuyler goodnight before handing her over to Nanny for the night.

Nanny left the room, holding Schuyler on her hip and Cady by the hand muttering under her breath about babies and makeup.  They heard Cady start to cry when she realized what was going on and that started Schuyler.

"Nanny will calm them down," Allura said.

Darcy went back to trying to brush the dog hair off Lance's jacket while Allura fussed with Keith's tie.

"Koran just told me most of the guests have arrived already," Keith announced.  "Paton is here and as soon as she and Hunk and Pidge get here, we'll head down."

"What about my folks?"  Lance asked.

"They're already down there, so are the Barlows.  Apparently, Lucy and Mrs. Barlow couldn't wait."

Hunk and Paton arrived in the doorway.  Hunk was dressed in a tuxedo similar to the one Lance and Keith wore.  Paton stood beside him, she was a lovely woman standing six feet tall in her heels.  Her dress was a pale blue that brought out the blue in her eyes and made her jet black hair stand out.  

"Wow, Paton, you look great!"  Allura rushed over to hug the other women.

"Where's Pidge?"  Lance asked Becca.

She shrugged, "I haven't seen him in a couple of hours."  
  


"Maybe I should go check on him," Hunk said, glancing down the hall.  "Oh, here he comes."

Pidge tugged at the cuffs of his jacket as he walked down the hall toward Keith and Allura's room.  He was going to tell Becca tonight about his decision.  He had thought about, came up with a hundred reasons to stay and a hundred reasons to go.  

"It's about time," Lance said when he entered the room.

"Yeah, yeah yeah," Pidge muttered, entering the room.  His nerves and irritation disappeared the moment he laid eyes on Becca.  She stood beside the bed, her hands lost in the folds of her skirt and her eyes cast down.  _Beautiful_, he thought to himself. _She's absolutely beautiful_.  He felt the urge to touch her, but was afraid at the same time, almost like she was a piece of art in a museum.  

"Breathe, man," Lance said, clapping him on the back.

"Come on," Keith grinned.  "Let's not keep the guests waiting."

"You look amazing," Pidge whispered to Becca as the others filed out.

Her cheeks turned pink, "Thank you.  You look rather handsome yourself."

"Shall we go?"  He offered her his arm.

"My heart is racing," Becca admitted.

"You nervous?"

"A little."

"Why?  It's just a party."  
  


"Allura said we're going to be introduced to the crowd.  I've never been _introduced_ before."

Pidge smiled reassuringly at her as they took their place in line in front of Hunk, "Just smile and they'll all be dazzled by your beauty."

"Lieutenant Pidge Audric and Miss Rebecca Barlow," Koran announced.

"Here we go," Pidge whispered, leading her into the crowded ballroom where they were greeted by light applause.

"That wasn't so bad," Becca said as they sat down at the head table.

Hunk and Paton were introduced and walked to the table, followed by Lance and Darcy.  Lance, being the person he is, bowed deeply to the gathered group and twirled Darcy around once before heading over to the table.

"Always the showoff," Hunk muttered as Lance sat next to them.

"If you're going to make an entrance, make an entrance."  Lance told him.

"No," Darcy said.  "_That is how you make an entrance."_

"Her Royal Highness, Queen Allura of Arus and her husband, Captain Keith Whitaker."  Koran announced.

The entire assembly stood and applauded.  Allura stood, her hand in the crook of Keith's arm, and smiled graciously to the people before her.  She waved and took the hands offered to her as they made their way across the room and to the table.

"Please, please, sit down," Allura said as she stood behind the head table.  "Thank you all so much for such a wonderful welcome.  We are so glad you were able to join us for this celebration.  As you all know, the ringing in the New Year in such an elaborate fashion is just one more tradition the Voltron Force brought with them from Terra."  She stopped as the applause started again.  "We have been ten months now without an attack of any kind and that is even more reason to celebrate.  Thanks to the wonderful people you see up here with me, as well as Lieutenant Sven Johansson, Lieutenant Dante Addison, and Sergeant Caleb Marshall, we are now safe on our own planet.  Our capital, Alforia, is growing by leaps and bounds and all the neighboring towns are being built up at amazing rates."  She raised her glass of champagne.  "Here's to another year of safety and growth!"

Everyone in the room raised their glasses.

"Please, eat, drink, dance, and enjoy yourselves.  We're here to celebrate, so let's make the most of it!"  Allura brought the glass to her lips, an action followed by the entire crowd.

Dinner was served as a string quartet played gentle music.  The din of conversation rose and mingled with the clink of utensils on plates and glasses being set on the table.

After a large, four course meal, the plates were cleared so that the Force and Allura could mingle with the guests. The press made their way from through the Force, asking questions about what they had been up to in the past months, how safe they thought the planet really was, and what was going on in their personal lives.  
  
It was Becca's first introduction into the spotlight. Pidge wasn't quite the ladies man the Lance, Dante, or Sven had been, so any word on his love life was of particular interest.   
  
"And how long are you going to be on Arus?" The editor of the Society and Entertainment article for Alforia Times, a stout woman wearing a dark purple pants suit, asked Becca.  
  
"I'm just here for the holidays, I'll be heading back to Terra tomorrow afternoon."  
  
"And how long have you and Lt. Audric been involved, if you don't mind me asking."  
  
Becca looked at Pidge who was standing beside her.  
  
"Well, we were friends for about a year before we started dating this past summer," Pidge spoke up.  
  
"And do you find it difficult keeping up a relationship when you're so far apart?"  
  
"We're finding ways to deal with it," Pidge said.

"I'll be moving here when I finish with school so I can do my residency with Dr. Gorma," Becca told her.   
  
"Oh," the woman's smile grew. "That sounds rather serious, do we hear wedding bells in the future?"  
  
"At some point," Pidge said.  
  
"So you're officially off the market?" She asked him.  
  
"Yes he is," Becca answered quickly.  
  
Pidge slipped his hand into hers and squeezed it gently.  
  
"There will be some disappointed girls on Arus."  
  
"Oh, I don't think so," he muttered.  
  
"Oh yes, you are considered the 'Intelligent Girl's Romeo'." The reporter made a note on her pad. "There have been quite a few girls vying for your attention."  
  
Becca grinned at him and winked. He shook his head in response, blushing slightly.  
  
"Well, I thank you both for your time, I really must try and get a word in with Lt. Landers and Capt. Lacko, I must hear all about their upcoming wedding."  
  
"_The Intelligent Girl's Romeo_?" Becca whispered as soon as they were left alone.  
  
"Stop it," he hissed.  
  
"No, I think that's great."  
  
"I'm not anybody's Romeo."  
  
"You're mine."  
  
He shook his head, "You're insane."  
  
"Nope," Becca leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I'm in love."  
  
"Come on," he pulled on her hand. "Let's get a drink."  
  
The drink table was set up by the door, laden with a punch bowl and manned by a bartender to make mixed drinks. They were able to see the dance floor from there. The quartet was playing, but there weren't many couples dancing, as it was still early and everyone seemed more interested in talking.  
  
"So I guess its definite then," Becca said quietly when he handed her a cup of punch.  
  
"What is?" He asked.  
  
"You're not coming back to Terra."  
  
He shook his head, "I just can't right now. I wanted to talk to you about it tonight, but I was waiting for a good time."  
  
Becca bit her lip and looked down at the red liquid in her cup. She had repeatedly told him it was up to him to make this decision and that the most important thing was his happiness and she fully understood and respected his responsibilities to Arus. But deep down she had hoped he would decide to go to Terra. She had fantasies of having him nearby and them having a normal relationship, going out Friday nights, cuddling in front of the TV on snowy Sunday afternoons.   
  
Pidge reached out and laid a hand on her bare arm, he waited until she looked up at him before he spoke. "This is the most difficult decision I've ever had to make, Becs, I've been see-sawing back and forth.  I-I'm sorry."  
  
"Don't be," she flashed him an unconvincing smile. "I know how important your job is and you can't just leave. We'll be seeing so much of each other, we won't have a chance to miss each other."  
  
Pidge pulled her to him, ignoring everyone else in the room, and hugged her tightly. Becca laid her head on his shoulder, enjoying the feel of the slightly scratchy fabric of his jacket sleeves on her back and the warmth of his body against hers.  
  
_I will not cry_, she told herself. _This is a big night, we're at a big party, I will not cry.  
_  
"We can sneak out, if you want," he whispered.  
  
She pulled back and looked up at him, "Are you kidding? I'm a guest at a party held by the Queen of Arus, if you think I'm sneaking out early, you're nuts." She looked at her watch, it was just after 10:00. "Come on, let's mingle."  
  
Lance had somehow managed to drag Darcy out on the dance floor, most likely he was just trying to avoid the press. Hunk and Paton had been cornered by the reporter who had just interviewed Pidge and Becca, while Allura and Keith were deep in conversation with the Secretary of Agriculture and his wife.  
  
"Oh, Becca, isn't this wonderful?" Lucy appeared at her side. "And you look so beautiful."  
  
"You look great, Mom," Becca said, taking in her mother's blue dress. "Where's Dad?"  
  
"He went to get us drinks. I had no idea how glamorous life was for you all," she said to Pidge.  
  
"Well, it wasn't always like this, Ma'am," he told her. "This is all new to us as well. There was a time when we didn't have enough security to hold parties like this and we had to be constantly watching for Doom."  
  
"I've met royalty from other planets and Cabinet members, I even had my picture taken for the newspaper," Lucy whispered excitedly.  
  
"Rebecca Anne, where is the rest of that dress?" Howard asked as he handed Lucy a drink.  
  
Becca twirled around and looked over both shoulders, "Hmm, looks like I left it in my room."  
  
Pidge smiled and downed the rest of his drink, "Would you like to dance?"   
  
"I would love to," she took his hand. "We'll see you later, Mom and Dad."  
  
Becca shivered when she felt the light touch of his hand on the small of her back.  
  
"Are you cold?"  
  
"No, you just have that effect on me," she whispered as they reached the dance floor.  
  
"So, I still make you weak in the knees?" He teased, taking her right hand in his left and resting his right hand on the small of her back.  
  
"Don't get cocky," she muttered.  
  
The dance floor was starting to fill up. They danced past Lance and Darcy, Allura and Keith, and Lance's parents. With a heavy heart, Becca took it all in. It was going to be difficult to go back to school after all this. She stepped closer and laid her head on his shoulder, breathing in the scent of his soap and feeling him tighten his arm around her.  
  
"Alright, I need a drink," Pidge said, three songs later.  
  
"Lightweight," Becca teased him.  
  
"Hey, you should feel honored, I don't usually dance."  
  
"Well, you're very graceful."  
  
"Yeah, right," he accepted a cup of punch from the bartender and handed it to Becca.  
  
"It's getting close," she said, looking at her watch.  
  
"You know, I never saw the big deal with New Years."  
  
"Really? I think it's exciting. A whole new year with no mistakes made yet, a million possibilities of what may come. I love New Years."  
  
"Such a romantic," he dropped a kiss on her head.  
  
Out of the corner of his eye, Pidge saw the door slide open and close, but he didn't see anyone enter. He looked over, but saw nothing out of the ordinary.  
  
"Hey, what do you think is going on over there?" Becca nodded to the door where some people had turned to look at something.  
  
"I don't know," he set his cup on the table. Something told him to check it out. "Come on, let's go see."  
  
The entrance into the ballroom was a huge door that opened to a landing where three steps led to the ballroom floor. Standing in front of the steps was a group of women talking to each other.  
  
"Isn't she adorable?"  
  
"That's the little Princess, isn't it?"  
  
"She looks just like her mother."  
  
"What's a matter, sweetie pie? Don't cry."  
  
Pidge walked around the group and saw Cady standing on the top step in her light blue footed pajamas, clutching her pink blanket, and looking up at the assembled women, absolutely terrified. Her eyes were wide and red, her lower lip trembling uncontrollably.   
  
"Oh, geez," he murmured.  
  
"What is she doing here?" Becca whispered.  
  
"Looks like she sneaked out of her room," Pidge replied, stepping forward. "What are you doing up, Cady?"  
  
The women parted to let him through. At the sight of a familiar face, Cady held her arms up to him and started crying.  
  
"It's okay, Cady Bear, calm down, it's okay," he picked her up. The terrified little girl clung to him, squeezing her eyes shut, and sobbing into his shoulder. Pidge turned to Becca, "Have you seen Allura and Keith?"  
  
"Last I saw they were on the dance floor," she started through the crowd.  
  
Allura and Keith were talking to a Major Kappel, a high ranking Garrison official, and his wife. Allura heard her daughter before she saw her. Shoving her glass into Keith's hand, she made her way over to where Pidge and Becca were standing, scanning the crowd for them.  
  
"Excuse us please," Keith smiled to the Major and followed his wife.  
  
"What is she doing here?" Allura asked.  
  
"I don't know, she just appeared at the door. She's scared." Pidge explained.  
  
Allura laid her hand on Cady's back, causing the girl to tighten her arms around Pidge's neck and howl louder. With her face buried in his shoulder, she couldn't see who was touching her.  
  
"Cady, it's Mommy," Allura leaned over and kissed her head.  
  
Lifting her head to look, Cady reached out to her mother, still crying.  
  
"What's wrong?" Keith asked, approaching them.  
  
"Looks like she wandered away from Nanny," Allura said, rubbing soothing circles on Cady's back.  
  
"I think she came looking for you guys, but when she walked in, she was greeted by a loud group of strangers," Pidge said.  
  
"Poor baby," Allura cooed. "It's okay, baby girl, it's okay. You're safe, stop crying Cady, you're okay." She continued to whisper soothing words and rubbing her back.  
  
"I think we better get her to bed," Keith said.  
  
Allurra nodded.  
  
"If anyone asks," he told Pidge. "Tell them we'll be right back."  
  
"No problem, Cap."  
  
"Thanks for getting her, Pidge," Allura smiled at him over Cady's golden head.  
  
Keith took Allura's arm and led her through the throng of people toward the door. People watched and pointed, wondering what was going on and why the Princess was up. A few people asked and Keith just smiled and promised they would return shortly.  
  
A photographer with a local magazine stepped forward and started snapping pictures. The flashbulbs startled Cady, sending her into new fits of hysterics.   
  
"No pictures," Keith said, turning so he blocked Cady.  
  
"Come on, Captain," the man said. "She's the people's Princess."  
  
Keith turned to the photographer, an intense look of anger on his face, "No, she's a scared little girl and the last thing she needs is your camera going off in her face."  
  
"She's going to have to get used to it," the man smirked.  
  
Keith stepped toward him, his hands fisted, but was stopped by Lance.  
  
"Go, Keith, take care of Cady, I'll take care of this."  
  
Keith glared at the photographer before turning to lead Allura out of the room.  
  
The man looked at Lance, "I have a right to…" he stopped when Lance pulled the camera out of his hands.  
  
"You're with _Scoop_ Magazine, aren't you?" Lance asked, popping open the back of the camera and exposing the film.  
  
"Yes I am and you had no right to do that."  
  
"I had as much right to do that as you did to scare Cady," he handed the man back his camera. "I would suggest you leave now."  
  
"Are you threatening me?"  
  
"Who? Me?" Lance asked, incredulously. "Never. But I do have very little patience for the media, and that is because of people like you. Now, are you going to leave nicely or am I going to have to get you a couple of escorts?" He waved over a guard who had been standing by the entrance.  
  
"You think I won't report to the magazine how I was treated?" The photographer asked angrily. "Let's see what the people have to say when they hear how I was treated."  
  
"I might be worried if your magazine was a reputable publication," Lance retorted.  
  
"Oh, that's it," the man snapped his camera into its case. "The entire planet is going to hear about this."  
  
"Okay," Lance shrugged. "Make sure to add how you scared a two year old little girl, that'll win you a lot of support."  
  
"You just always have to cause trouble, don't you?" Darcy asked as they watched the photographer storm out of the ballroom, escorted by a guard.  
  
"It's so much fun," he winked at her. "Do you want me to come with you?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You're thinking about Schuyler right now, do you want me to come with you when you check on her?"  
  
"If you want to."  
  
Lance took her hand and looked at Pidge, "We'll be right back."  
  
****************************************************  
  
"I was just about to come check on her, why are you here?" Nanny asked Allura and Keith made their way to Cady's room.  
  
"Someone wandered down to the ballroom," Allura explained.  
  
"She was tucked safely into bed last time I checked on her, about half an hour ago. I guess she woke up and went looking for you." Nanny clucked her tongue. "Naughty girl."  
  
"Don't be so hard on her, Nanny, she's tired and she's scared," Allura said. "I'll put her down."  
  
"I can do it, Your Highness, go back to your party."  
  
"No, no, I'll do it," Allura entered Cady's room and turned on the lamp on her dresser. "It won't take long, she's hardly awake now."   
  
Keith followed her into the room, shutting the door behind him, "Is she even awake now?"  
  
Allura looked down at Cady.  Her head was resting on her mother's shoulder, her eyes heavy, and her thumb in her mouth. Allura gently stroked her wet cheek, "You ready to go to bed, sweetie?"  
  
Cady shook her head and whimpered.

Allura settled into the rocking chair beside the window and cuddled Cady to her.  She hummed quietly, feeling the little girl relax against her.  Keith watched them, feeling his heart constrict.  They were so beautiful.  He leaned against the wall and watched as Allura arranged the pink blanket around Cady and smiled at the little girl as her eyes slowly shut.

"What are you thinking?"

Allura's quiet question interrupted Keith's thoughts.

"Just how lucky I am," he admitted.

"Lucky?"

"Yes, lucky.  I have you and Cady and the boys.  We're safe and happy and healthy.  I'm very lucky."

Allura slowly stood and carefully laid Cady in her bed.  She stood and watched, making sure she really was asleep.  Keith came to stand beside her.

"What time is it?"  She asked.

He looked at his watch, "Almost 11:30."

"I guess we have to head back to the party."

"I don't want to."

"Neither do I."

"But we have to."

She sighed, "I know.  But next year, it's just us."

"Just us," he repeated, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her to him.  "I love you, Angel."

"I love you too," she whispered, tilting her head back to accept his kiss.


	13. New Years Pt 2 Midnight and Goodbyes

As midnight drew closer, maids and butlers moved through the crowd, serving champagne.  The dance floor was full and a feeling of anticipation filled the air.  Keith and Allura returned to the ballroom, hand in hand and were surrounded by curious bystanders, wondering how Cady was doing.

"Really, she's fine, just tired," Allura assured them with a small smile.

"Less than five minutes to midnight!"  Koran announced.

The din of conversation rose excitedly, fueled by the flowing champagne.  

"You gave me an idea," Allura whispered to Keith, leading him to the head table.

"What do you mean?"  He whispered back.

"What you said in Cady's room, it gave me an idea."  She picked up a spoon and tapped it against a glass, waiting for the gathered crowd to look her way.  As silence fell, she spoke, "After so many years of living in fear, we are finally free to live our lives.  We are so lucky to be here tonight, safe and sound.  As we watch midnight approach, bringing with it a whole new year, I think we should all take a moment and think back on this past year.  Take a moment to remember what you're thankful for, your loved ones, your health, your safety."

Throughout the room, people bowed their heads, a few smiled, a few wiped away tears.  Some exchanged hugs, while others closed their eyes and quietly reflected.

Darcy stood to the side of the dance floor and closed her eyes, thinking about Schuyler and Lance.  She felt Lance as he leaned close to her, lowering his voice so she was the only one who could hear him.

"I'm thankful Lotor got what he deserved," he whispered.  "And that we have Schuyler and she's happy and healthy.  But most of all, I thank God every day that after everything that has happened, you're here with me now and we've got many years left ahead of us."

She turned and looked at him, a little surprised at the serious expression he wore.  The humor that normally sparkled in his eyes and the half-smirk that was always on his lips were not there.  For a split second before he blinked, she thought she saw tears in his eyes.

Swallowing around the lump that formed in her throat, Darcy wrapped her arms around him, laying her cheek on his shoulder.  Lance pulled her close to him and kissed the top of her head.

Pidge and Becca had been talking to the president of the University and now stood, quietly, facing Allura and Keith.  He reached over and laced his fingers through hers, pulling her a little closer to him.  Becca looked up and he winked at her.

She leaned closer and lowered her voice, "I'm thankful I came here this summer."

He smiled at her, "So am I."

Keith smiled at Allura, pleased with her speech.  "I don't know where to begin," he admitted.  "I guess I can wrap it up by saying I'm thankful for everything in my life since you entered it.  As for this year, I'll have to go with the boys and the downfall of Doom."

She returned his smile, "I couldn't have put it better."

"Thirty seconds to midnight," Koran announced.

Everyone turned to face him, glasses in hand.

"Fifteen seconds."

Excited chatter once again rose from the gathering.

"10…9…8…" Koran called out, soon joined by everyone else.  "7…6…5…4…3…2…1!"

"Happy New Year!"  Everyone shouted.

Keith turned to Allura and kissed her softly.

Throughout the room, hugs, kisses, and handshakes were shared, as well as good wishes.

Pidge leaned down and kissed Becca gently before pulling back and whispering, "Happy New Year, Love."

"Happy New Year," she whispered back, pulling him back down for another kiss.

Lance cupped the back of Darcy's head, capturing her lips in a kiss that showed they had both forgotten there were other people in the room.

The quartet struck up another song as balloons and confetti fell from the ceiling and guests 'oohhhed' and 'ahhhed.'

Lance lifted his head when someone beside them cleared his throat.  Howard and Lucy Barlow had come over to wish them a Happy New Year and had gone unnoticed.

"You finished?"  Howard asked.

"Not quite," Lance responded, turning back to kiss Darcy again.

"Lance," Howard warned.  "There is a time and a place and this is neither."

"With all due respect sir, I am madly in love with your daughter and I am so glad to have her, there are times I just can't help myself," Lance told him over Darcy's head as he held her to him.  "And we _are_ married."

"Oh, it's the New Year, Howard, let's not start it with a fight," Lucy told him.  "Happy New Year Darcy, Lance."

"Happy New Year, Mom," Darcy disentangled herself from Lance so she could hug her mother and father.

**********************************************************

"That was an amazing party," Allura said as she sat on the edge of their bed, pulling her heels off.

"Yes, it was," Keith shut the door.

It was almost 2:00in the morning and the last of the guests had just left.  After checking on the children, the two of them retired to their room.

"It's so strange to think that this is the last year we're all going to be together in the castle," she commented, wistfully.

"No one is going to be that far," he told her shrugging out of his jacket and removing his tie.

"I know, but it just won't be the same.  I've become so used to having everyone around.  Lance and Darcy will be out of the castle in a few months, after the wedding Hunk is going to be moving into Paton's house.  Caleb and Dante are still work for the Garrison and if it's clear for a year, they have a very good chance of being reassigned and I know Pidge has mentioned to Hunk about moving out and getting a place of his own.  I just don't know how I'll ever get used to a big, empty, quiet castle after they've all gone."

Keith sat beside her, "Honey, if Cady has any say in it, it won't be _that_ quiet around here and you know that Lance and Darcy will be around all the time, so will Hunk and Paton and Pidge.  The guys still work here, they'll be here every day."

"Yeah, but it won't be the same."

He reached up and pulled the combs from her hair, watching it fall around her face, "You won't get a chance to miss them, Angel."

She smiled as she felt him sweep his hair aside and kiss the back of her neck, "You're just trying to distract me now."

"Uh huh," he continued to move his lips over her neck as he slowly pulled down the zipper of her gown.

*******************************************************

Pidge laced his fingers with Becca's as they made their way down the hall toward her room.  They had almost been run over by Lance and Darcy as they rushed from the party and toward their room.  

The last of the guests had left about fifteen minutes earlier, Pidge and Becca had loitered behind, wanting some time alone but not wanting to draw attention to themselves.  They had wandered through the halls, past the rec room, Castle Control, and the Observation Deck.  Neither really speaking, just being together.

"Here we are again," Becca whispered.

"Huh?"  Pidge looked up.

"Here we go again," she repeated.  "The night before I leave and we're avoiding talking about it and trying to drag the night out."

"Yeah, well, I don't want to talk about you leaving."

"Neither do I."

"Then what should we talk about?"  He asked.

She shrugged, "Nice weather we've been having."

Pidge laughed and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, "Not really, we've been under quite a bit of snow."

  
"What if we can't take off tomorrow?"

"You'll be able to, the tarmac is cleared and most of the snow has melted."

"Damn."

They reached her door and stopped, both suddenly quiet.

With a hesitant hand, Pidge reached up and tucked a stray curl behind her hair.  "You look amazing tonight."

"Thanks," she smiled.  "So do you.  You should wear a tux more often."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, you clean up rather nice."

"You should see me in my dress uniform."

"Oh, I can't resist a man in uniform," she murmured, leaning against him.

"Okay, hold that thought and I'll go change," he stepped back.

Smiling, she grabbed his arm, "Stay with me."

His eyes darkened, "How can I resist an offer like that?"

The door slid open behind them and they stumbled in, attached at the lips.  Pidge stroked her back, enjoying the feel of her smooth, warm skin under his fingers while Becca unbuttoned his jacket and tried to slide it off his shoulders.  Still kissing, Pidge let her go so she could push the jacket off him and toss it to the floor.  They made their way to her bed, Becca tugged at the buttons of his shirt.

When they hit the bed, Becca broke the kiss and looked at him.

"You okay?"  He whispered, huskily.

She nodded and licked her lips, "I, uh, I just wanted to look at you."

"See anything you like?"  He teased.

"I see _a lot_ I like."

Pidge leaned forward and rested his forehead against hers, "I'm going to miss you so much."

Becca took a shuddering breath and hugged him as tightly as she could, burying her face into his neck, "You could come to Terra."

He sighed, "Don't do that to me, Bec."

"Sorry," she murmured into his throat.

"Come on, let's not make this a sad night," Pidge pulled back to look at her.  "Let's make this a night to remember."

Smiling slyly, she told him, "Every night with you is a night to remember."

"No pressure there," he muttered as he lowered her to the bed beneath him.

****************************************************************

Since the ship wasn't scheduled to take off until late afternoon, everyone slept in the next morning.  Well, not everyone.  Allura was up with the children, but happily accepted help from Nanny and Keith's mother.

Lance sneaked out of bed the next morning when Schuyler had wakened, leaving his wife asleep on her stomach.  Darcy woke when she felt the baby crawling over her back.

"Wake up, Mommy," Lance said.

"Don't wanna," Darcy mumbled into her pillow.

Schuyler slid off her back and crawled up to her pillow, looking at her mother's face.

"You hafta," Lance told her.

Darcy rolled over onto her side and looked at her daughter, "Well, I can see Daddy dressed you today, didn't he?"

"What's wrong with it?"

"Orange and red don't go together, Lance."

"Everything goes with red.  It's a bright, cheerful outfit."

"I'm getting a headache just looking at her."

"Darcy," he gasped.  "That's a terrible thing to say, you'll hurt her feelings."

She looked at their daughter who was oblivious to their conversation and gnawing on the edge of the sheet.  "I don't think she cares."  Pushing the covers back, Darcy stood and picked up the baby.  "We'll find you something better to wear, sweetie, we're going to see Grandma and Grandpa off."

Lance grinned, "I guess this means you won't let me dress her ever again."

"I'm not that stupid, Lance."

He got up and followed her into the nursery, stepping over Chewie who was lying in the middle of the floor chewing on a knotted piece of rope, "Well, it's still better than the Santa suit."

"I can't believe you're still whining about that," she said, pulling the orange turtleneck off Schuyler.

"So," he leaned against the changing table and toyed with a lock of her mussed hair.  "You never did tell me what you're thankful for this past year."

"Watch her," Darcy said as she crossed to the closet and pulled out a white and pink dress.

Lance bent over and blew a raspberry on Schuyler's tummy, bringing a shriek of laughter from the little girl.

Darcy kissed his cheek, "Go get dressed."

"Not until you tell me what you're thankful for.  I told you, you have to tell me."

She smiled at him, "This," she swept her hand in front of her, indicating him and Schuyler.  "I am thankful for all this."

His mouth curled up into a small smile, "I love you."

"Love you, too," she gave him a quick kiss.  "Go, get dressed."

**********************************************************************

Pidge woke to find Becca sound asleep beside him.  That's how it always happened, though, she was not a morning person and years of early practice had him up at the crack of dawn.  

She was lying on her stomach, her face turned toward him, but was covered by her hair.  He reached up and gently brushed it aside, revealing her beautiful, relaxed face.  It was at moments like this that he felt his resolve shake and he momentarily thought about changing his mind and going with her.  

One eye slowly opened and Becca watched Pidge watch her.  

"Please tell me it's not morning yet," she murmured.

"Yeah, it is," he kissed her neck.

"Can we turn back the clock and make it last night again?"

"I wish we could."

She lifted her head and looked down at him, "We only have a few more hours."

"So, let's make the most of them."

Becca cocked an eyebrow, "What did you have in mind?"

He ran his hand down her back and leaned in to kiss her, "I think you can read my mind."

Smiling, she ran her hands over his chest and her lips across his jaw.  She jumped when there was an insistent knock at her door, "Who is it?"

"Are you up, Becca?"  Her mother called out.

Pidge tensed and pulled the covers up to his chin.

"Uh, not yet, Ma, um, I'll, uh, I'll meet you downstairs in a few minutes," Becca called out nervously.

"Are you okay?"

Becca cleared her throat, "Yeah, I just woke up.  I'll get dressed and be down in a minute."

"Alright dear, make sure all your things are packed."

"Alright mother!  I'll be right down!"  Becca yelled.

Pidge groaned and pulled the blankets over his head.

"Come on," she tugged the blankets down and grinned at his red face.  "We have to get up and you have to go to your room."

********************************************************

Pidge stood in Becca's room that afternoon, helping her pack her things.  

"Did you check the drawers?"  Pidge asked.

"Yup, they're clear.  I just want to check the bathroom," she left him alone in the room.

Pidge wandered over to the closet and checked to make sure it was clear.  Hanging on a padded hanger was the little green nightie.  "You, uh, you forgot something," he called out to her.

"No, I didn't," Becca returned to the room, toothbrush in hand.

"What about this?"  He held up the hanger.

"Oh, that."  With a glance to the open door, Becca walked over and yanked it from the hanger.  "I won't be using that on Terra, why don't you hold on to it for me," she balled up the satin and shoved it in his jeans pocket. 

His cheeks turned a dark red, "You're a terrible flirt."

"Nah, I rather think I'm a good flirt."

"You're the best flirt I know," he stepped closer, closing the gap between them.

"Let's go see what Aunt Becca's doing?"  Darcy's voice was unnaturally loud as she came down the hall.

With a weak smile, Becca turned back to zipper up her bags.

"Oh, there you are," Lucy walked into the room, followed closely by Darcy and Schuyler.  "You have all your stuff packed?"

"Yeah," Becca shouldered a dufflebag.

"Leave 'em," Pidge told her.  "We'll get them down to the ship."

"Well, this has certainly been a fun trip," Lucy said.

"Yeah, it has," Becca replied.

"Will you be visiting Terra soon, Pidge?"

"I'm planning to come in February," he told Mrs. Barlow.

With a smile, Lucy nodded, "Then I guess we will have to put off your birthday dinner for another time, Becca."

Becca slid her hand into Pidge's and they followed her mother and sister out of the room.  The ship was scheduled to take off in about an hour.

"We'll be back when the house is finished," Lucy told Pidge and Becca.  "Maybe you'll be able to come with us, Rebecca."

"I'll be back this summer, Ma."

"We're not going to get to see much of you on your time off, are we?"

"Probably not."

Lucy sighed, "Just behave yourself, Rebecca, be careful."  
  


"Mother," Becca warned.

"I'm just saying…"

"Mom," Darcy interrupted her.  "I think Sky needs to be changed, will you help me, please?"

Pidge pulled Becca into the Observation Deck just as he had when she first arrived.

"I'm going to miss you so much," she whispered as he locked the door behind them.

"I know, I'm going to miss you too," he turned to face her, seeing the tears in her eyes.  "Don't, Becs."

"I'm trying real hard not to," her voice cracked.

"Come here," he folded her in his arms and felt her body jerk as she tried not to cry.  "It won't be so bad, baby, you'll be so busy with school you won't even have time to miss me."

"That's not true," she mumbled into his shoulder.

He kissed the top of her head and then her temple before moving his lips to her ear, "Marry me, Becca."

Her body shook with quiet sobs.

"I'll wait for you to finish.  I want to spend the rest of my life with you and when you're done with school, I don't ever want to be separated from you.  After you're done with school and your residency, will you marry me?"

She nodded against his shoulder.

"You won't let some dashing young med student sweep into your life and steal you away from me?'

Becca lifted her head and looked up at him, her eyes red and cheeks wet.  "That's about as likely to happen as one of those Voltron groupies in town stealing you away from me."

He smiled at her, "I love you, Rebecca."

"I love you, too, Pader."

"Smartass."

Pidge heaved a huge sigh as his communicator went off, "Audric."

"Hey, Pidge where are you?"  Lance asked.

"Observation Deck, Lance, what's up?"

"Is Becca with you?"

"Yeah."

  
"Well, her parents are looking for her and they're loading the ship.  Say your goodbyes, man, and get down here."

"Yeah, we're on our way."  Pidge snapped the communicator shut and looked up at Becca.

Before he could say a word, she was pressed against him, her lips covering his, assaulting his mouth in such away Pidge fell backwards against the door.

"Wow," he whispered when she stepped back.

She took a breath and stood a little straighter, "I just wanted to give you a little something to tide you over until February."

"You already have," he winked and patted his pocket.

Hand in hand, they made their way to Castle Control where everyone was waiting.  The entire Force as well as Keith's mother, Lance's parents, the children, Koran and Nanny were gathered to see them off.  Nanny had once again packed some sandwiches and snacks for the flight back.  Koran shook their hands and wished them a safe flight.  

"You're welcome back, anytime," Allura said as she hugged Lucy.

"Have a safe flight and come back soon," Keith shook hands with Howard as he cradled Gideon in his arm.

"I'm gonna miss you, sis," Darcy hugged Becca tightly.  "Behave yourself and call when you can."

"I will," Becca promised.  "Goodbye, Lance," she turned and hugged him, kissing Schuyler on the cheek.  "Goodbye little Sky, make sure you cause lots of trouble and drive your parents crazy."

"Much like you girls have done to us," Howard said, taking Schuyler out of her father's arms.  "You're a good girl, Schuyler, you'll have to get your parents to bring you to Terra soon."

The little girl tilted her head and studied her grandfather before trying to grab his nose.

"Take care, Pidge," Lucy told him.  "I'm sure we'll be seeing more of you."

"Yes, Ma'am," he smiled.

She hugged him, "I'm so glad we got to know you better and I know you're good for my daughter."

"I love her, Ma'am, and I will do everything in my power to make her happy."  
  
"I know you will."

"Good luck, Pidge," Howard offered him his hand.

"Thank you, sir, have a safe trip."

Becca stepped up in front of him, her eyes red, and offered him a hand, "Good Luck, Pidge," she mimicked her father.

He smiled, "Thank you, sir, have a safe trip."

"Come on, let's get you on the ship," Darcy took her father's arm.

A moment later, Pidge and Becca were left alone.

"This is it," Becca whispered.

"Yeah."

"This time it's only for two months."

"Yeah."

"You at a loss for words?"

"Yeah."

Becca smiled, "Okay, let's not drag this out.  I love you, I'll miss you, I'll see you in two months."

He returned her smile, "Ditto."  He took her hand and gave her a quick kiss.  "You have a ship to board, babe."

"Yeah."

Pidge found it to be even more difficult this time.  Maybe it had been because of all the time they had spent together intimately.  Maybe it was the fact that every time he saw her he fell a little bit more in love with her.  Maybe it was because he had given so much thought into going with her.  Whatever it was, watching the ship takeoff was one of the hardest experiences he had ever had.

"Don't worry man, you'll see her soon," Keith clapped a hand on Pidge's shoulder.  "And I know just the thing to take your mind off your misery."

"What's that?"  Pidge asked, skeptically.

"You're on duty in thirty minutes."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Author's Note:  Thank you all so much for indulging me in this fluffy bit of brain candy :)  It was just fun to write and once again ended up being longer than I anticipated.  I am working on my K&A piece and I promise it will have more action, but probably a lot of fluff too (I just can't seem to get away from that).  But alas, the holidays are coming and my free time will be scarce, but I will start posting ASAP.

Thank you so much for the wonderful support and reviews, it adds to the joy I get from writing.

RedLion2 ~ As always, thank you so much.  Your support, advice, and reviews mean a lot to me.  I am looking forward to reading more from you as well.

Bell ~ I'm glad you've discovered my stories and have enjoyed them.  Keep up the good work with your fics!

Queen Merla ~ I know, not enough Sven and Romelle ;) But they will be in my next fic, I promise, I worry about putting too many characters in a story, I don't want to make it confusing.  Thanks for your reviews!

QuikerKookie, Anony, ~ Thank you for your faithful reviews, I'm so glad you enjoyed the story.

Thank you all!!!

With love,

Failte


End file.
